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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
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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: mate · bass · spell · perch · suit · clip · board · rest

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. spell — a short time
  3. board — a committee
  4. clip — a video
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bass — the fish
  7. rest — a break
  8. clip — for paper
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. mate — a partner
  11. board — to get on
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. rest — what's left
  14. mate — to breed
  15. rest — what's left
  16. suit — in cards
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. mate — a friend
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bass — low music
  22. spell — letters
  23. spell — magic
  24. suit — to fit

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