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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.

Make a worksheet

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: can · fan · present · rule · ball · leaves · perch · snap

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. present — a gift
  8. perch — the fish
  9. can — to be able to
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. present — there
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. can — a tin
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. snap — to click
  18. present — the time now
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rule — government
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. can — a tin
  23. ball — a great time
  24. rule — a law

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