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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: suit · march · ball · rest · file · perch · cabinet · stem

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. march — the month
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ball — a great time
  11. perch — the fish
  12. march — the month
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. stem — to come from
  15. rest — what's left
  16. suit — in cards
  17. file — a document
  18. file — a line of people
  19. rest — a break
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. file — a tool
  22. suit — clothes
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. suit — to fit

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