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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: mark · band · perch · date · bowl · toast · fan · racket

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. mark — a trace
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. mark — a grade
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — the fruit
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. perch — the fish
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. toast — bread
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. band — a music group
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. racket — a loud noise

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