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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: mug · perch · ball · bass · rush · pit · band · cue

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. ball — a dance
  8. cue — a signal
  9. mug — a face
  10. rush — hurry
  11. mug — to rob
  12. band — a music group
  13. pit — in a race
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bass — the fish
  16. cue — a hint
  17. ball — a great time
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. cue — for pool
  20. pit — a hole
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bass — low music
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. band — a ring

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