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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: cell · season · can · lean · perch · nail · chip · wake

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. season — of the year
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. chip — for betting
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lean — thin
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wake — a trail
  12. can — a tin
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cell — a phone
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. chip — to eat
  20. can — a tin
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. season — in sport
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. can — to be able to

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