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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
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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: cabinet · pass · perch · spell · mine · mug · trunk · field

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. field — a subject
  5. spell — a short time
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mine — for digging
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — to rob
  11. spell — magic
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. perch — the fish
  16. field — farmland
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. mug — a face
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. field — for sport
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. mine — an explosive

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