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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: firm · last · rash · suit · nail · game · perch · rest

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. firm — a company
  3. game — a match
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. rash — a series
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — steady
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. last — to go on
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. game — wild animals
  16. suit — in cards
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. suit — to fit
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. last — finally
  21. last — final
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — hasty
  24. suit — clothes

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