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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.

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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — to wash
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. suit — to fit
  8. rock — music
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. suit — in cards
  14. club — for dancing
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a great time
  18. perch — the fish
  19. suit — clothes
  20. club — for golf
  21. club — a group
  22. season — in sport
  23. ball — a dance
  24. shower — rain

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