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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: lean · nail · fall · toast · bowl · season · hand · perch

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. hand — help
  7. hand — in cards
  8. season — of the year
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. lean — to bend
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. lean — thin
  16. season — in sport
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. toast — bread
  20. fall — the season
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. fall — to drop
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. nail — on a finger

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