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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 · drill · perch · date · stand · rock · chip · pop

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. drill — the tool
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. stand — to bear
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. drill — army training
  7. band — a ring
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. perch — the fish
  10. pop — music
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. pop — to visit
  15. drill — a practice
  16. pop — soda
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. date — the fruit
  19. rock — music
  20. band — a music group
  21. chip — for betting
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — for spectators

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