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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 120 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: spell · lash · foot · bank · court · ball · press · perch

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. spell — letters
  3. perch — the fish
  4. ball — a dance
  5. spell — magic
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. ball — a great time
  8. foot — a measure
  9. bank — for money
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. court — for sport
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. press — newspapers
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bank — of a river
  18. press — a publisher
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. bank — for money
  21. press — to push
  22. spell — a short time
  23. court — of a king
  24. court — of law

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