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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
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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: perch · straw · court · stand · rock · pitcher · wake · key

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. wake — a trail
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. court — of law
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. stand — to bear
  7. key — the most important part
  8. rock — music
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. perch — the fish
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rock — a stone
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. key — in music
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. court — of a king
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. key — for a lock
  21. court — for sport
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. wake — before a funeral

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