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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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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. perch — the fish
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. tube — a container
  10. rock — music
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. season — in sport
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. rock — a stone
  16. season — of the year
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. chair — a leader
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. chair — to sit on

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