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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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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: bay · file · wake · ball · chip · perch · rest · bowl

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. ball — a dance
  5. wake — a trail
  6. perch — the fish
  7. ball — a great time
  8. file — a document
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. file — a tool
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. rest — a break
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chip — to eat
  19. rest — what's left
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. file — a line of people

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