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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: spring · bowl · perch · bay · wave · ball · cabinet · game

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. game — wild animals
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. spring — the season
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. spring — of water
  14. spring — a coil
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. ball — a dance
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. game — a match
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. ball — a great 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