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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. object — a thing
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. tube — the underground
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. object — to protest
  11. mate — a friend
  12. spell — a short time
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — to get on
  15. spell — magic
  16. object — an aim
  17. board — a committee
  18. suit — in cards
  19. tube — a container
  20. mate — to breed
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. spell — letters
  23. mate — a partner
  24. perch — the fish

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