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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: squash · lean · wave · bark · dip · bulb · band · perch

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. bark — to shout
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. lean — thin
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. band — a ring
  11. band — a music group
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. squash — the sport
  18. bulb — for light
  19. squash — to crush
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bulb — for light

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