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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.

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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 ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bore — to drill
  9. land — to come down
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. land — a country
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. season — of the year
  17. season — in sport
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bore — to tire
  23. land — ground
  24. fan — a supporter

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