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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 · perch · calf · stem · season · mouse · drill · dip

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. roll — a cake
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. roll — a list
  7. season — of the year
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — the tool
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. stem — to come from
  18. drill — a practice
  19. dip — to sink
  20. perch — the fish
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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