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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.

Make a worksheet

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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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  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. leaves — lets stay
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. season — in sport
  12. club — for dancing
  13. perch — the fish
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. club — a group
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. rush — hurry
  21. club — for golf
  22. season — of the year
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. fan — a supporter

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