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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 116 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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. prune — to trim
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. march — music
  5. march — the month
  6. ball — a dance
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. drill — the tool
  9. rush — hurry
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. march — the month
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. perch — the fish
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. ball — a great time
  20. drill — army training
  21. drill — a practice
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bowl — a dish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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