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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: suit · clip · club · bass · perch · mark · pass · staff

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. clip — to cut
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. mark — a grade
  6. perch — the fish
  7. staff — employees
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. club — a group
  10. club — for dancing
  11. bass — the fish
  12. pass — a permit
  13. mark — a trace
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. suit — to fit
  16. clip — a video
  17. staff — a stick
  18. suit — in cards
  19. clip — for paper
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bass — low music
  23. staff — employees
  24. club — for golf

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