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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: perch · cabinet · band · mug · track · pit · mate · pop

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. track — a path
  3. perch — the fish
  4. band — a ring
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. pop — music
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. band — a music group
  10. track — to keep track
  11. pit — a hole
  12. mate — a partner
  13. pop — soda
  14. track — a song
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. mug — a face
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mate — to breed
  22. pit — in a race
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mug — a cup

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