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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: can · ball · row · mine · pound · perch · field · cap

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. can — to be able to
  3. perch — the fish
  4. mine — for digging
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. can — a tin
  7. pound — a weight
  8. ball — a dance
  9. field — for sport
  10. cap — a lid
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. can — a tin
  13. row — to paddle
  14. field — a subject
  15. cap — of ice
  16. ball — a great time
  17. cap — a hat
  18. row — a line
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. field — farmland
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. ball — a round shape

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