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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: perch · date · cap · foot · stand · bank · pound · saw

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. saw — the tool
  4. cap — of ice
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. bank — for money
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. bank — for money
  10. cap — a lid
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. pound — a weight
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. saw — the tool
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. stand — to bear
  17. perch — the fish
  18. cap — a hat
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bank — of a river
  22. date — the fruit
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. stand — on your feet

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