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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.

Make a worksheet

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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. season — of the year
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — hasty
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. march — the month
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. spell — letters
  14. march — the month
  15. march — music
  16. spell — a short time
  17. season — in sport
  18. perch — the fish
  19. sharp — clever
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. spell — magic
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. wave — of the sea

Multiple-meaning words list

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

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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