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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: dip · rash · cabinet · capital · perch · ball · march · hide

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. rash — a series
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. ball — a great time
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. march — the month
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. capital — money
  11. march — the month
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. dip — to sink
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. perch — the fish
  19. ball — a dance
  20. capital — a city
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. march — music
  24. rash — hasty

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