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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 · pop · mouse · arm · mate · perch · craft · bound

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  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. pop — to visit
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. pop — soda
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bound — tied together
  9. mate — a friend
  10. bound — obliged
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. craft — boats
  13. bound — certain
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. pop — music
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bass — the fish
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. arm — a part of something
  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