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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 116 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 · leaves · bowl · squash · root · perch · cabinet · scale

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. squash — the sport
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. root — the cause
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. season — in sport
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. perch — the fish
  13. scale — size or range
  14. squash — to crush
  15. scale — in music
  16. season — of the year
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. root — of a word

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