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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: plane · pound · march · perch · pitcher · mouse · toast · stand

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. march — music
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. plane — a tool
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. march — the month
  12. pound — a weight
  13. stand — to bear
  14. toast — bread
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. march — the month
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. pound — for dogs

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