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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. tube — the underground
  12. fork — in a road
  13. stem — to come from
  14. tube — a container
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. wound — an injury
  20. perch — the fish
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wave — with your hand

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com