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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: squash · fan · perch · cap · hide · arm · sharp · ball

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. squash — to crush
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. sharp — clever
  8. ball — a dance
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cap — of ice
  11. ball — a great time
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. cap — a hat
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. perch — the fish
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. squash — the sport
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. arm — a part of something

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