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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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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: suit · perch · charge · rest · hand · bass · cue · track

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. hand — in cards
  3. track — a song
  4. bass — the fish
  5. suit — in cards
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. track — a path
  8. charge — in control
  9. rest — what's left
  10. hand — help
  11. cue — for pool
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. cue — a signal
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bass — low music
  17. rest — a break
  18. rest — what's left
  19. charge — electricity
  20. suit — to fit
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. cue — a hint
  23. charge — a price
  24. track — to keep track

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