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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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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. spell — letters
  3. charge — electricity
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. lean — thin
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — the fish
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. lean — to bend
  11. march — the month
  12. charge — in control
  13. march — the month
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — a short time
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. land — a country
  18. march — music
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. charge — a price
  23. land — ground
  24. racket — a loud noise

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