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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 120 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: arm · perch · mark · wake · mouse · tear · pit · stand

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. tear — from crying
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pit — a hole
  6. tear — to rip
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mark — a grade
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. mark — a trace
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. tear — from crying
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. perch — the fish
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. stand — to bear

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