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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: calf · pass · perch · spell · roll · game · clip · bowl

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. clip — a video
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. spell — a short time
  5. spell — letters
  6. clip — to cut
  7. game — wild animals
  8. roll — a cake
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. spell — magic
  11. roll — a list
  12. clip — for paper
  13. game — a match
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — a permit
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. calf — of the leg

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