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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: lean · spell · hide · toast · perch · mouse · squash · arm

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. perch — the fish
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. spell — a short time
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. spell — magic
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the sport
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. toast — bread
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lean — thin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. spell — letters

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