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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: band · perch · racket · wound · saw · trunk · file · suit

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. band — a music group
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wound — an injury
  8. band — a ring
  9. suit — in cards
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. suit — to fit
  12. file — a document
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. suit — clothes
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. file — a line of people
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. file — a tool
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. saw — the tool
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. wound — an injury
  24. perch — the fish

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