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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.

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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: ball · lash · row · perch · bound · court · net · foot

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. perch — the fish
  3. net — for catching
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bound — obliged
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. net — in sport
  9. bound — tied together
  10. court — of a king
  11. foot — a measure
  12. net — after costs
  13. row — a line
  14. court — of law
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. ball — a great time
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bound — certain
  23. court — for sport
  24. foot — part of the body

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