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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bowl · ball · key · bark · perch · fan · net · bay

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bark — to shout
  5. key — the most important part
  6. perch — the fish
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. net — for catching
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. net — after costs
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. ball — a great time
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. key — in music
  22. net — in sport
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. key — for a lock

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