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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.

Make a worksheet

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: scale · bark · stick · last · perch · leaves · cabinet · mug

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. scale — size or range
  3. mug — to rob
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mug — a face
  8. last — final
  9. last — finally
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. mug — a cup
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. perch — the fish
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. scale — in music
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. last — to go on
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bark — to shout

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