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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: tube · roll · perch · mark · ball · bound · key · fan

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. bound — tied together
  3. ball — a dance
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. mark — a grade
  6. key — in music
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. tube — the underground
  9. perch — the fish
  10. bound — obliged
  11. ball — a great time
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — for a lock
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bound — certain
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. roll — a list
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. mark — a trace
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. roll — a cake

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