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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.

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: degree · bark · stand · straw · perch · can · fine · present

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. degree — from a university
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. present — there
  8. stand — to bear
  9. present — the time now
  10. fine — all right
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. present — a gift
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — the fish
  17. can — to be able to
  18. fine — high quality
  19. can — a tin
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. degree — temperature
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. degree — an amount

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