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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: present · shower · key · perch · snap · fan · bay · scale

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. present — there
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. shower — to wash
  10. snap — to click
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. key — the most important part
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. key — in music
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. perch — the fish
  19. shower — rain
  20. present — the time now
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. scale — size or range
  23. present — a gift
  24. bay — a horse colour

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