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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: ground · plane · craft · cold · march · stand · bay · perch

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. ground — a position
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. march — the month
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. cold — not warm
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. perch — the fish
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. cold — an illness
  19. stand — to bear
  20. march — music
  21. ground — crushed
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. march — the month
  24. craft — boats

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