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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: bark · content · perch · kid · saw · stand · track · cabinet

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. track — a path
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. content — happy
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. kid — to tease
  9. perch — the fish
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. track — to keep track
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bark — to shout
  15. saw — the tool
  16. track — a song
  17. saw — the tool
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. kid — child
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. stand — to bear
  24. content — the amount

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