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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
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 · suit · shower · land · foot · cue · perch · arm

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. shower — rain
  5. suit — to fit
  6. land — a country
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — a measure
  9. land — to come down
  10. cue — a hint
  11. suit — clothes
  12. perch — the fish
  13. cue — for pool
  14. shower — to wash
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. land — ground
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. suit — in cards
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. cue — a signal
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. fan — a supporter

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