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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: wave · object · perch · bowl · bat · cap · ball · dip

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. cap — a hat
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. dip — to sink
  12. bat — the animal
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. object — to protest
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. cap — a lid
  17. object — a thing
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. perch — the fish
  21. ball — a dance
  22. object — an aim
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. dip — to dunk

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