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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 120 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: object · rest · perch · swing · drill · club · present · mouse

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. drill — the tool
  3. present — the time now
  4. swing — music
  5. object — to protest
  6. rest — what's left
  7. swing — in golf
  8. club — for golf
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. drill — army training
  12. object — an aim
  13. object — a thing
  14. present — there
  15. rest — a break
  16. present — a gift
  17. perch — the fish
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rest — what's left
  20. drill — a practice
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. club — a group
  23. swing — to play on
  24. perch — for a bird

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