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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: suit · arm · rule · bowl · band · pop · stem · perch

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. band — a ring
  4. stem — to come from
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. pop — soda
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. suit — clothes
  13. perch — the fish
  14. rule — a law
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. pop — to visit
  21. pop — music
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. rule — government
  24. arm — part of the body

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