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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 116 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: perch · rush · clip · spell · bay · racket · ball · cap

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  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. bay — a part of the sea
  3. cap — a hat
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. spell — letters
  9. cap — a lid
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. perch — the fish
  15. clip — for paper
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. clip — to cut
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. clip — a video
  22. cap — of ice
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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