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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: kick · bowl · drill · trunk · lie · game · perch · pop

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  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. game — a kind of play
  2. drill — the tool
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. lie — to recline
  9. perch — the fish
  10. pop — soda
  11. game — a match
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. drill — a practice
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. pop — to visit
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. kick — in football
  19. game — wild animals
  20. drill — army training
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. pop — music
  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