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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: toast · wound · game · suit · bore · race · rush · perch

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. toast — bread
  4. bore — to drill
  5. race — a contest
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. race — the arms race
  8. race — humankind
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. game — wild animals
  12. bore — to tire
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. game — a match
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. wound — an injury
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. suit — in cards
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rush — hurry
  24. perch — the fish

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