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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: tube · ball · perch · pound · safe · racket · hand · lie

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. pound — a weight
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. ball — a dance
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. hand — in cards
  14. tube — the underground
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. perch — the fish
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. hand — help
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. tube — a container
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. lie — to recline

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