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

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. perch — the fish
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. ball — a dance
  6. spell — letters
  7. can — to be able to
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. row — to paddle
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. can — a tin
  12. spell — magic
  13. row — a line
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. roll — a list
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. spell — a short time
  19. can — a tin
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ball — a great time
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. roll — a cake
  24. row — a quarrel

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