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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: ground · drill · bowl · leaves · net · lean · perch · stick

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. drill — a practice
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. ground — the earth
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. net — for catching
  8. perch — the fish
  9. lean — to bend
  10. ground — crushed
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. ground — a position
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. net — in sport
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. drill — the tool
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. drill — army training
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. net — after costs
  24. bowl — a dish

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