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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.

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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. can — a tin
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. kid — to tease
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. wound — an injury
  9. can — a tin
  10. rash — a series
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. lie — to recline
  15. wound — an injury
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. kid — child
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. rash — hasty
  23. can — to be able to
  24. perch — the fish

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