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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
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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 · rock · lean · object · pitcher · perch · wave · mouse

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. object — a thing
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. lean — thin
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rock — music
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — to protest
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. lean — to bend
  24. perch — the fish

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