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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.

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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: file · spring · fan · kick · object · leaves · perch · ruler

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. object — a thing
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. file — a line of people
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. spring — a coil
  9. spring — of water
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. file — a tool
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. object — an aim
  19. perch — the fish
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. spring — the season
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. file — a document
  24. object — to protest

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