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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
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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: suit · arm · perch · key · season · bark · squash · shower

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. squash — to crush
  3. key — for a lock
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. key — the most important part
  6. perch — the fish
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. key — in music
  11. shower — rain
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. season — of the year
  15. shower — to wash
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. season — in sport
  22. suit — to fit
  23. squash — the sport
  24. arm — part of the body

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