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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: fan · pit · season · mouse · object · chest · perch · plane

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. object — an aim
  4. object — to protest
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. plane — a tool
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. pit — a hole
  9. chest — of your body
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. perch — the fish
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. chest — of your body
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. object — a thing
  17. season — of the year
  18. chest — a box
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. pit — in a race
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

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