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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: rock · calf · degree · rest · perch · mug · stand · pop

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. pop — music
  3. mug — a cup
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mug — a face
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. degree — from a university
  12. rest — what's left
  13. degree — an amount
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. degree — temperature
  16. rock — music
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. rock — a stone
  19. mug — to rob
  20. perch — the fish
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pop — soda
  23. stand — to bear
  24. perch — for a bird

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