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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: track · band · perch · toast · fall · rest · cabinet · swing

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. fall — to drop
  4. track — a song
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. swing — in golf
  7. rest — what's left
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. toast — bread
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. perch — the fish
  14. swing — music
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rest — a break
  17. track — to keep track
  18. swing — to play on
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fall — the season
  21. fall — to drop
  22. track — a path
  23. band — a ring
  24. band — a music group

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