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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: mate · land · mouse · object · present · perch · fan · spell

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. object — an aim
  3. spell — letters
  4. present — there
  5. present — a gift
  6. object — a thing
  7. perch — the fish
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. land — to come down
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. present — the time now
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mate — a friend
  15. spell — a short time
  16. mate — a partner
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. land — ground
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. land — a country
  21. object — to protest
  22. spell — magic
  23. perch — for a bird
  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