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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bowl · lie · stem · perch · fan · game · sharp · bay

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. game — a match
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. perch — the fish
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. lie — to recline
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. stem — to come from
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. game — wild animals
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. sharp — clever
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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