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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
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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: fan · straw · mug · pitch · leaves · deal · pop · perch

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. pop — soda
  5. pitch — completely
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. perch — the fish
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. mug — a face
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pop — to visit
  16. deal — to handle
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pop — music
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. mug — to rob

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