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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.

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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
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: perch · net · leaves · saw · kick · cabinet · hand · key

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. key — in music
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. net — in sport
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. perch — the fish
  8. net — after costs
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. key — for a lock
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. hand — help
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. net — for catching
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. kick — in football
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. saw — the tool
  22. hand — in cards
  23. key — the most important part
  24. perch — for a bird

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