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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.

Make a worksheet

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: nail · swing · saw · pass · hide · court · perch · fan

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. perch — the fish
  3. saw — the tool
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. saw — the tool
  8. court — of law
  9. court — of a king
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — a permit
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. swing — to play on
  15. court — for sport
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. swing — music
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. fan — to cool the air

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