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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: firm · root · perch · stick · leaves · march · foot · rash

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. firm — a company
  3. march — the month
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. march — music
  6. firm — decided
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. root — of a plant
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. march — the month
  15. firm — steady
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — hasty
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. foot — a measure
  23. root — the cause
  24. root — of a word

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