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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: game · lie · ball · rock · pass · perch · jam · kid

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. kid — to tease
  3. rock — a stone
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. perch — the fish
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. game — a match
  10. kid — child
  11. ball — a great time
  12. pass — a permit
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a dance
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. game — wild animals
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. rock — music
  23. lie — to recline
  24. perch — for a bird

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