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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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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: stand · kick · foot · perch · bass · toast · wake · key

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. key — in music
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. perch — the fish
  8. key — the most important part
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bass — low music
  12. stand — to bear
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. wake — a trail
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. key — for a lock
  18. toast — bread
  19. bass — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. kick — in football
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. perch — for a bird

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