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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: suit · cell · fan · temple · saw · staff · bat · perch

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. staff — a stick
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. cell — a phone
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. perch — the fish
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. suit — in cards
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bat — the animal
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. saw — the tool
  23. cell — in biology
  24. suit — clothes

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