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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. mark — a grade
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. branch — a division
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. mark — a trace
  20. can — a tin
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. straw — dry grass

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