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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: deal · date · mate · fan · spell · kick · jam · perch

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. deal — to handle
  8. spell — a short time
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. mate — a partner
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. perch — the fish
  14. spell — letters
  15. date — the fruit
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. spell — magic
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. mate — a friend
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. mate — to breed
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. kick — in football

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