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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
YesNo
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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: fine · kick · bark · fan · bass · leaves · perch · wound

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  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. wound — an injury
  3. bark — to shout
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — the fish
  7. wound — an injury
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. kick — in football
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bass — the fish
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fine — all right
  18. bass — low music
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. fine — high quality
  23. kick — a thrill
  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