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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: rash · roll · cabinet · spell · perch · firm · shower · mark

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. rash — a series
  3. rash — hasty
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. firm — steady
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. firm — a company
  11. roll — a list
  12. perch — the fish
  13. spell — magic
  14. spell — letters
  15. shower — to wash
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. shower — rain
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. roll — a cake
  20. spell — a short time
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. cabinet — ministers

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