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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.

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 · perch · jam · fine · tube · bass · stick · land

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. tube — a container
  3. land — to come down
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. perch — the fish
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. tube — the underground
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. land — a country
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. land — ground
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. fine — high quality
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. bass — low music
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. bass — the fish
  24. fine — all right

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