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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: tube · temple · fan · season · perch · bay · cap · stick

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. season — of the year
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. tube — a container
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. perch — the fish
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. tube — the underground
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. season — in sport
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cap — a lid
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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