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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: clip · perch · wound · bay · bulb · rash · ball · foot

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. clip — to cut
  6. ball — a dance
  7. clip — a video
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. ball — a great time
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. clip — for paper
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. perch — the fish
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. wound — an injury
  19. rash — hasty
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bulb — for light
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. foot — a measure

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