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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: mine · bowl · perch · ball · key · rush · lie · wave

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. key — in music
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. key — the most important part
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. key — for a lock
  7. perch — the fish
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. lie — to recline
  10. mine — for digging
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. ball — a dance
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. ball — a great time
  17. rush — hurry
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mine — an explosive

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