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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. vault — a safe
  6. wake — a trail
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. rock — a stone
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. rock — music
  17. band — a ring
  18. band — a music group
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. racket — for tennis

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