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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. prune — to trim
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. stand — to bear
  10. ball — a dance
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. perch — the fish
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. prune — the fruit

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