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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 120 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: lie · spell · cell · bear · bass · season · court · perch

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. cell — a phone
  3. court — of a king
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bear — the animal
  6. spell — letters
  7. cell — in biology
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. perch — the fish
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. season — of the year
  14. bass — the fish
  15. court — of law
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. court — for sport
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — in sport
  21. bass — low music
  22. bear — the animal
  23. lie — to recline
  24. spell — a short time

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