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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: mark · wax · pitcher · perch · roll · suit · track · band

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. track — a song
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. band — a music group
  5. band — a ring
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. suit — clothes
  8. track — a path
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. roll — a list
  15. mark — a grade
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. wax — to grow
  20. track — to keep track
  21. roll — a cake
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. perch — the fish
  24. mark — a trace

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