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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.

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: bowl · mug · cap · bass · mouse · bark · perch · press

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mug — to rob
  4. bass — low music
  5. cap — of ice
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. mug — a face
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. press — newspapers
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bass — the fish
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. cap — a hat
  17. mug — a cup
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. cap — a lid
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. press — to push
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. press — a publisher
  24. bass — the instrument

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