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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: rash · game · row · bowl · staff · fine · lie · perch

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. row — a line
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. fine — all right
  7. rash — a series
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. staff — employees
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. row — to paddle
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. fine — high quality
  18. game — wild animals
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. staff — a stick
  21. perch — the fish
  22. game — a match
  23. rash — hasty
  24. staff — employees

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