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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.

Make a worksheet

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: net · rule · bowl · date · perch · game · rock · leaves

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. date — the fruit
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — the fish
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — government
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rock — a stone
  13. net — after costs
  14. game — a match
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. rock — music
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. game — wild animals
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. net — for catching

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