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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: trunk · season · perch · straw · stand · scale · hide · toast

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  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. perch — the fish
  2. toast — bread
  3. scale — in music
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. scale — size or range
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. season — in sport
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. season — of the year
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. stand — to bear
  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