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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: perch · craft · board · ball · mark · cue · swing · toast

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. craft — a skill
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mark — a trace
  7. swing — in golf
  8. mark — a grade
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. toast — bread
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. craft — boats
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. ball — a dance
  17. cue — a signal
  18. perch — the fish
  19. cue — for pool
  20. board — a committee
  21. cue — a hint
  22. board — to get on
  23. ball — a great time
  24. swing — music

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