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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
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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  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. kick — with a leg
  2. spell — magic
  3. spell — letters
  4. can — a tin
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. perch — the fish
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bass — the fish
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. can — a tin
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. kick — in football
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. rush — hurry
  20. bass — low music
  21. branch — a division
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. spell — a short time
  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