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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: wake · racket · roll · band · bore · scale · rush · perch

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. band — a music group
  3. roll — a list
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. wake — a trail
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. scale — in music
  9. bore — to drill
  10. perch — the fish
  11. scale — size or range
  12. band — a ring
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. roll — a cake
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bore — to tire
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. rush — a thrill

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