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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: pound · march · ball · spell · press · perch · rock · spring

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. spell — a short time
  3. press — newspapers
  4. ball — a great time
  5. spring — of water
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pound — a weight
  8. rock — a stone
  9. march — music
  10. rock — music
  11. perch — the fish
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. march — the month
  14. spring — a coil
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. march — the month
  18. spell — magic
  19. spring — the season
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. spell — letters
  23. press — a publisher
  24. press — to push

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