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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.

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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: perch · scale · current · cap · pound · chair · arm · suit

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  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. cap — of ice
  2. pound — a weight
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. scale — size or range
  5. current — of water
  6. cap — a hat
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. suit — to fit
  9. current — happening now
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. current — electric
  15. scale — in music
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. chair — a leader
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. cap — a lid
  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