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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: cold · perch · suit · band · track · stick · board · scale

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. suit — clothes
  4. board — to get on
  5. band — a ring
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. band — a music group
  9. track — a song
  10. scale — size or range
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. cold — an illness
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. suit — in cards
  15. track — a path
  16. board — a committee
  17. cold — not warm
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. scale — in music
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. perch — the fish
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. track — to keep track

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