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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. net — in sport
  5. net — for catching
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. perch — the fish
  9. swing — to play on
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — in golf
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. net — after costs
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. ball — a great time
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pound — a weight
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. ball — a dance
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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