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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.

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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. lean — to bend
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. spring — of water
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. spring — a coil
  9. hand — help
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. spring — the season
  12. lean — thin
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. perch — the fish
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. spell — a short time
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. spell — magic
  23. hand — in cards
  24. rush — hurry

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