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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: bass · rash · pitcher · perch · cell · object · bowl · safe

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bass — low music
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. rash — hasty
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. object — an aim
  15. cell — a phone
  16. cell — in biology
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rash — a series
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — a thing
  24. bass — the fish

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