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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.

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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: perch · ball · leaves · squash · stick · pit · deal · file

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. file — a document
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. deal — to handle
  5. perch — the fish
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. pit — in a race
  11. file — a line of people
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. file — a tool
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. pit — a hole
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. squash — the sport
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. ball — a great time
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. ball — a dance
  23. squash — to crush
  24. perch — for a bird

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