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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: trunk · lie · leaves · wake · cabinet · hand · cap · perch

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. wake — a trail
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. cap — a lid
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. cap — of ice
  14. hand — help
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. hand — in cards
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. lie — to recline
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cap — a hat

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