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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 116 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: bowl · mark · perch · root · club · shower · hide · suit

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — of a word
  5. suit — to fit
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a grade
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. club — for dancing
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. mark — a trace
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. shower — to wash
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — clothes
  17. club — for golf
  18. shower — rain
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. root — the cause
  24. bowl — a football final

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