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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: deal · stand · track · craft · bulb · pitcher · perch · club

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. club — a group
  3. bulb — for light
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. club — for golf
  7. perch — the fish
  8. club — for dancing
  9. track — a path
  10. track — a song
  11. deal — to handle
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. craft — a skill
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stand — to bear
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. craft — boats
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. track — to keep track

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