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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: roll · spell · perch · kid · bank · lean · calf · tube

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. kid — child
  3. tube — a container
  4. lean — thin
  5. perch — the fish
  6. kid — to tease
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. spell — a short time
  9. lean — to bend
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. roll — a cake
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. bank — for money
  18. tube — the underground
  19. spell — letters
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. roll — a list

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