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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: staff · prune · foot · charge · stand · perch · squash · cap

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. stand — to bear
  3. foot — a measure
  4. perch — the fish
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. cap — of ice
  10. staff — employees
  11. charge — a price
  12. staff — employees
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. squash — to crush
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. cap — a lid
  18. charge — in control
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. staff — a stick
  21. charge — electricity
  22. squash — the sport
  23. prune — to trim
  24. cap — a hat

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