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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.

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: foot · nail · staff · perch · bear · leaves · rock · mate

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. mate — to breed
  3. perch — the fish
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mate — a partner
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — a stick
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bear — the animal
  18. staff — employees
  19. bear — the animal
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. foot — a measure
  24. rock — a stone

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