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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: perch · spell · stand · scale · hide · racket · trunk · roll

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. roll — a cake
  4. roll — a list
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. spell — a short time
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stand — to bear
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. perch — the fish
  14. spell — magic
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. scale — size or range
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. scale — in music
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. spell — letters

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