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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 · key · pitch · kid · band · rest · roll · perch

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pitch — completely
  4. key — in music
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. suit — clothes
  7. rest — what's left
  8. suit — to fit
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. kid — to tease
  13. roll — a list
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. rest — what's left
  16. key — the most important part
  17. band — a ring
  18. key — for a lock
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. suit — in cards
  21. perch — the fish
  22. band — a music group
  23. rest — a break
  24. roll — a cake

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