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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: suit · vault · bear · stand · fan · wake · perch · rock

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bear — the animal
  3. suit — clothes
  4. rock — music
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rock — a stone
  7. suit — in cards
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. wake — a trail
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. perch — the fish
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. suit — to fit
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. vault — a safe
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. fan — to cool the air

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