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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: stand · cap · perch · suit · craft · roll · face · pitcher

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. stand — to bear
  3. suit — clothes
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. face — to confront
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. face — part of the head
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. craft — a skill
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. cap — of ice
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. roll — a list
  17. suit — in cards
  18. cap — a hat
  19. face — to point toward
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. suit — to fit
  23. roll — a cake
  24. cap — a lid

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