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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bass · season · perch · bulb · roll · calf · stock · mouse

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stock — goods
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. stock — shares
  6. roll — a cake
  7. bass — low music
  8. bulb — for light
  9. season — in sport
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bass — the fish
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. roll — a list
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bulb — for light
  22. season — of the year
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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