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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 · perch · foot · fall · scale · chair · spring · fan

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. spring — the season
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. fall — to drop
  9. deal — to handle
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. perch — the fish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. foot — a measure
  14. spring — a coil
  15. fall — to drop
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. spring — of water
  20. chair — a leader
  21. scale — size or range
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. fall — the season
  24. fan — a supporter

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