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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: craft · wake · perch · pop · face · season · fan · suit

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. season — of the year
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. wake — a trail
  6. pop — soda
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. face — to confront
  10. perch — the fish
  11. suit — clothes
  12. face — part of the head
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — music
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — boats
  18. suit — in cards
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. season — in sport
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. suit — to fit
  24. face — to point toward

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