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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 120 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: firm · track · tear · racket · fall · suit · perch · rock

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. perch — the fish
  3. tear — from crying
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rock — music
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. tear — from crying
  9. firm — a company
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. fall — to drop
  13. suit — clothes
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. tear — to rip
  17. firm — steady
  18. suit — to fit
  19. rock — a stone
  20. track — a path
  21. firm — decided
  22. track — a song
  23. fall — to drop
  24. track — to keep track

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