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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
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: tear · mine · spell · leaves · perch · can · roll · mate

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. tear — to rip
  5. mine — for digging
  6. can — to be able to
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mate — a partner
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — the fish
  11. spell — letters
  12. roll — a list
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. tear — from crying
  16. roll — a cake
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. can — a tin
  19. spell — a short time
  20. mate — to breed
  21. tear — from crying
  22. can — a tin
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mine — belonging to me

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