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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.

Words on the sheet
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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. mug — a face
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. spell — letters
  6. can — to be able to
  7. spell — a short time
  8. perch — the fish
  9. cap — a lid
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mug — to rob
  14. cap — a hat
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. can — a tin
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. cap — of ice
  19. mug — a cup
  20. can — a tin
  21. mine — for digging
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. spell — magic

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