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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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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. stand — to bear
  5. root — of a plant
  6. root — of a word
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. perch — the fish
  12. rock — music
  13. date — the fruit
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. rock — a stone
  16. suit — clothes
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bark — to shout
  21. root — the cause
  22. mark — a trace
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — in cards

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