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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: stand · last · perch · present · pop · bear · snap · hide

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bear — the animal
  4. present — a gift
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. snap — to click
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. pop — music
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. pop — soda
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bear — the animal
  15. stand — to bear
  16. last — finally
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. last — final
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pop — to visit
  23. last — to go on
  24. present — the time now

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