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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 · bowl · perch · fine · lean · toast · chair

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. lean — to bend
  6. perch — the fish
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. game — wild animals
  10. spell — letters
  11. game — a match
  12. toast — bread
  13. chair — a leader
  14. fine — all right
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. lean — thin
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. spell — magic

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