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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: bowl · stand · rest · wave · present · perch · club · plane

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. club — for dancing
  7. present — there
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. perch — the fish
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. plane — a tool
  18. present — the time now
  19. rest — what's left
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. club — a group
  23. club — for golf
  24. present — a gift

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