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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.

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: shower · perch · ruler · leaves · fan · safe · squash · chair

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. shower — to wash
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. squash — to crush
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. squash — the sport
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. chair — a leader
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. perch — the fish
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. shower — rain
  24. fan — a supporter

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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