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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: shower · bass · mouse · date · perch · plane · rock · roll

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bass — low music
  4. shower — to wash
  5. perch — the fish
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. rock — a stone
  10. plane — a tool
  11. shower — rain
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. date — the fruit
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — music
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. roll — a cake
  19. roll — a list
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bass — the fish

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