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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 116 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: perch · squash · mug · drill · saw · leaves · hide · trunk

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — a practice
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. mug — a face
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. drill — army training
  7. saw — the tool
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. squash — the sport
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. squash — to crush
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a cup
  21. perch — the fish
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. squash — the vegetable

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