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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: kick · mark · perch · pitcher · stand · pound · arm · cabinet

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. mark — a grade
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mark — a trace
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pound — a weight
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. kick — in football
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. perch — the fish
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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