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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. rock — a stone
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rock — music
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. kick — in football
  8. season — of the year
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the sport
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. object — an aim
  17. object — a thing
  18. perch — the fish
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. season — in sport
  22. object — to protest
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. kick — a thrill

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