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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: game · band · toast · roll · perch · foot · suit · staff

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. band — a music group
  4. band — a ring
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. staff — a stick
  7. toast — bread
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. staff — employees
  11. game — a match
  12. foot — a measure
  13. perch — the fish
  14. roll — a list
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. game — wild animals
  20. suit — in cards
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. suit — to fit
  23. staff — employees
  24. roll — a cake

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