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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: field · ball · wax · rash · board · perch · dip · bowl

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a committee
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. rash — hasty
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. dip — to sink
  10. rash — a series
  11. field — for sport
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. perch — the fish
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — to grow
  16. field — farmland
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. field — a subject
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. perch — for a bird

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