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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: wave · suit · spell · spring · court · trunk · perch · bowl

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. spring — a coil
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. suit — in cards
  9. court — of law
  10. suit — to fit
  11. spring — of water
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. court — of a king
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. spell — magic
  18. court — for sport
  19. spring — the season
  20. spell — a short time
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. spell — letters
  23. perch — the fish
  24. trunk — of a tree

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