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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 · rule · staff · track · bat · craft · mate · suit

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. rule — government
  3. suit — clothes
  4. rule — a law
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bat — the animal
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. mate — a partner
  12. track — a path
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. craft — a skill
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — a stick
  18. staff — employees
  19. suit — in cards
  20. craft — boats
  21. perch — the fish
  22. mate — a friend
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. mate — to breed

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