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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. rest — what's left
  4. ground — the earth
  5. rest — what's left
  6. band — a music group
  7. perch — the fish
  8. suit — in cards
  9. ball — a dance
  10. band — a ring
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ground — crushed
  13. ground — a position
  14. rest — a break
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. band — a rubber band

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