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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 · wake · scale · perch · net · season · rush · fan

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. wake — a trail
  6. rush — hurry
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. net — after costs
  9. season — of the year
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. perch — the fish
  13. scale — in music
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. scale — size or range
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. net — in sport
  20. stand — to bear
  21. net — for catching
  22. season — in sport
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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