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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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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: foot · lean · racket · march · ball · perch · band · hide

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. lean — to bend
  4. march — music
  5. perch — the fish
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. march — the month
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. foot — a measure
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. lean — thin
  19. march — the month
  20. band — a music group
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. band — a ring
  24. ball — a great time

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