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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. land — to come down
  4. land — a country
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. cap — a hat
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. cap — a lid
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. mug — a face
  14. perch — the fish
  15. cap — of ice
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. stand — to bear
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. season — in sport
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a cup
  24. land — ground

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