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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 120 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.

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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: leaves · fan · perch · bear · lie · bowl · stick · mark

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. mark — a trace
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lie — to recline
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bear — the animal
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — the fish
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mark — a grade
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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