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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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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: patient · bound · court · wave · perch · bowl · root · bulb

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. perch — the fish
  3. court — for sport
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. root — of a word
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — obliged
  16. root — of a plant
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. root — the cause
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bulb — for light
  22. court — of a king
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. court — of law

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