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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: spell · game · ball · can · hide · bear · bass · perch

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bear — the animal
  3. can — a tin
  4. spell — a short time
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. spell — letters
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. can — to be able to
  11. perch — the fish
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bass — low music
  14. spell — magic
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. game — a match
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. can — a tin
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. game — wild animals
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. bear — the animal
  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