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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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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: kick · spell · content · key · bowl · rule · perch · tube

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. kick — in football
  6. spell — magic
  7. key — in music
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. spell — a short time
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. content — the amount
  12. tube — a container
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. tube — the underground
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — government
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. content — happy
  19. rule — a law
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. spell — letters
  24. kick — a thrill

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