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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 116 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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. season — in sport
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. drill — a practice
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. fork — in a road
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. bear — the animal
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. cell — in biology
  18. drill — the tool
  19. bear — the animal
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. season — of the year
  22. cell — a phone
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. drill — army training

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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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