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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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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: last · ground · firm · calf · board · perch · dip · stand

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. perch — the fish
  3. firm — a company
  4. ground — crushed
  5. firm — decided
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. last — finally
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. board — a committee
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. last — to go on
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. dip — to sink
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. firm — steady
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ground — a position
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. board — to get on
  23. dip — a sauce
  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