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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: can · stick · foot · firm · perch · key · staff · mark

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. firm — a company
  5. staff — employees
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. key — the most important part
  10. can — to be able to
  11. foot — a measure
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. staff — employees
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — decided
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — in music
  19. mark — a trace
  20. perch — the fish
  21. staff — a stick
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. foot — the bottom

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