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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: ground · bowl · spell · perch · craft · shower · toast · roll

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. toast — bread
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. perch — the fish
  6. craft — boats
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. ground — the earth
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. shower — to wash
  11. spell — letters
  12. craft — a skill
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. roll — a list
  15. ground — a position
  16. roll — a cake
  17. shower — rain
  18. ground — crushed
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. spell — magic
  21. spell — a short time
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. toast — the most admired

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