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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.

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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rush · cap · leaves · nail · pit · bowl · present · perch

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. present — a gift
  3. pit — in a race
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. perch — the fish
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. cap — a hat
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. cap — of ice
  17. present — there
  18. cap — a lid
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. present — the time now
  23. rush — hurry
  24. pit — a hole

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