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

Word bank: hide · perch · bulb · stand · suit · hand · band · stock

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. suit — clothes
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stock — goods
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. hand — help
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. suit — to fit
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. stock — shares
  15. bulb — for light
  16. suit — in cards
  17. stand — to bear
  18. band — a ring
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. band — a music group
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. hand — in cards
  24. perch — for a bird

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