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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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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: pit · rush · toast · cell · suit · perch · straw · pound

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pound — a weight
  8. toast — bread
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. perch — the fish
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. pit — a hole
  19. suit — in cards
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. cell — in biology
  23. cell — a phone
  24. rush — hurry

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