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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. spell — letters
  4. stand — to bear
  5. spell — magic
  6. land — to come down
  7. rock — a stone
  8. mug — to rob
  9. land — ground
  10. perch — the fish
  11. game — wild animals
  12. mug — a cup
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. spell — a short time
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. rock — music
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. land — a country
  22. game — a match
  23. mug — a face
  24. perch — for a bird

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