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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: perch · can · nail · fork · mouse · leaves · land · lash

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. land — a country
  3. can — a tin
  4. land — ground
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. can — a tin
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. can — to be able to
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. fork — in a road
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. land — to come down

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