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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hand · squash · root · perch · pass · calf · cabinet · bowl

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. perch — the fish
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hand — help
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. root — of a plant
  17. squash — the sport
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. root — the cause
  20. squash — to crush
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. root — of a word

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