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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 · swing · perch · mark · firm · drill · kid · bear

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. swing — music
  3. kid — child
  4. perch — the fish
  5. kid — to tease
  6. swing — to play on
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mark — a trace
  9. drill — a practice
  10. firm — decided
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mark — a grade
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. firm — a company
  18. swing — in golf
  19. bear — the animal
  20. firm — steady
  21. drill — the tool
  22. drill — army training
  23. suit — to fit
  24. mark — to pay attention

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