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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: saw · perch · squash · kid · fine · track · suit · cabinet

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. perch — the fish
  3. fine — all right
  4. track — to keep track
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kid — child
  7. squash — the sport
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. fine — high quality
  10. suit — in cards
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. track — a path
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. track — a song
  16. squash — to crush
  17. suit — to fit
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. suit — clothes
  24. perch — for a bird

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