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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.

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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.

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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: pop · perch · bass · march · plane · safe · kid · bowl

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. march — the month
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. pop — soda
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. march — music
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. kid — child
  10. pop — music
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. plane — a tool
  13. kid — to tease
  14. march — the month
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bass — low music
  17. perch — the fish
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pop — to visit
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bowl — a dish

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