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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 120 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: game · wave · mate · foot · lie · spell · perch · bass

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. spell — magic
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. mate — a partner
  7. spell — a short time
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. game — wild animals
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. spell — letters
  12. bass — the fish
  13. perch — the fish
  14. game — a match
  15. foot — a measure
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mate — a friend
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bass — low music
  24. game — a kind of play

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