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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fork · deal · bass · staff · content · suit · rush · perch

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. bass — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. deal — to handle
  5. rush — hurry
  6. perch — the fish
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. fork — in a road
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. staff — a stick
  14. staff — employees
  15. content — the amount
  16. staff — employees
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bass — low music
  21. suit — in cards
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. suit — clothes

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