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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: game · bass · craft · squash · saw · perch · wave · mark

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. squash — the sport
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. craft — boats
  6. game — a match
  7. mark — a trace
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. saw — the tool
  14. craft — a skill
  15. saw — the tool
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. squash — to crush
  18. game — wild animals
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bass — low music
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. perch — the fish
  24. mark — to pay attention

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