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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 112 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.

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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. club — for golf
  3. ball — a great time
  4. perch — the fish
  5. club — a group
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bass — low music
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. ball — a dance
  17. vault — a safe
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. pound — a weight
  22. club — for dancing
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. perch — for a bird

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