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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
468
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: band · can · rash · suit · perch · mine · bass · mouse

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. mine — for digging
  8. rash — a series
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. bass — low music
  11. band — a ring
  12. suit — in cards
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. can — a tin
  15. band — a music group
  16. bass — the fish
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. perch — the fish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rash — hasty

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