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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. season — in sport
  4. kick — in football
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. tube — a container
  8. spring — of water
  9. spring — a coil
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. firm — a company
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. perch — the fish
  16. spring — the season
  17. season — of the year
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. firm — steady
  20. tube — the underground
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. firm — decided
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. season — to add flavour

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