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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.

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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  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. perch — the fish
  2. tube — a container
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. suit — to fit
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. spell — a short time
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. suit — in cards
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — magic
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. suit — clothes
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. tube — the underground
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

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