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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — letters
  5. season — of the year
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. prune — to trim
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. prune — to trim
  17. spell — a short time
  18. kick — in football
  19. perch — the fish
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. season — in sport
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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