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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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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. face — part of the head
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. season — in sport
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — the fish
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — a price
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. staff — employees
  12. face — to confront
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. charge — in control
  15. staff — a stick
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. lean — to bend
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. object — a thing
  20. lean — thin
  21. object — an aim
  22. staff — employees
  23. face — to point toward
  24. object — to protest

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