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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.

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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. perch — the fish
  4. drill — the tool
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. mate — a partner
  12. rash — a series
  13. drill — army training
  14. mate — to breed
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rash — hasty
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. drill — a practice
  22. mate — a friend
  23. plane — a tool
  24. fan — a supporter

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