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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.

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: pop · bowl · ground · ball · wave · lie · bass · perch

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. ground — the earth
  5. bass — the fish
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. ground — crushed
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. pop — to visit
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. pop — music
  18. ground — a position
  19. pop — soda
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. ball — a great time
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. lie — to recline
  24. bass — low music

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