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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: perch · foot · wave · bear · bark · root · bowl · march

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. march — the month
  3. march — music
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. root — of a word
  10. root — the cause
  11. bear — the animal
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. march — the month
  18. root — of a plant
  19. bear — the animal
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — the fish
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. bowl — a dish

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