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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: track · spell · perch · hand · wave · club · saw · arm

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. club — for dancing
  4. club — a group
  5. track — a path
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — a short time
  11. saw — the tool
  12. hand — help
  13. spell — magic
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. hand — in cards
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. track — a song
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. track — to keep track
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. club — for golf

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