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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
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: season · bear · object · bass · leaves · perch · chair · rock

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bass — the fish
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bass — low music
  8. object — an aim
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bear — the animal
  11. chair — a leader
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bear — the animal
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. object — a thing
  17. season — in sport
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. perch — the fish
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. rock — music
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. object — to protest

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