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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: suit · bowl · cap · perch · lean · track · swing · jam

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to bend
  4. suit — to fit
  5. swing — music
  6. suit — in cards
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. cap — of ice
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. track — a path
  17. swing — in golf
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — a lid
  20. suit — clothes
  21. track — a song
  22. swing — to play on
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bowl — a football final

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