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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 116 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: rock · pop · pound · scale · can · perch · season · band

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. season — in sport
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. band — a ring
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. scale — size or range
  8. band — a music group
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. rock — a stone
  11. pop — to visit
  12. perch — the fish
  13. can — a tin
  14. scale — in music
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pop — music
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pop — soda
  19. can — to be able to
  20. season — of the year
  21. rock — music
  22. can — a tin
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. perch — for a bird

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