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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 120 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: leaves · fall · hand · lie · season · spell · cue · perch

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. fall — to drop
  3. perch — the fish
  4. cue — a signal
  5. lie — to recline
  6. season — in sport
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. cue — for pool
  16. hand — in cards
  17. spell — a short time
  18. hand — help
  19. fall — the season
  20. cue — a hint
  21. season — of the year
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. fall — to drop
  24. spell — letters

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