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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · ball · chair · prune · perch · pound · fan · cue

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  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 — for a bird
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. cue — a hint
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. prune — to trim
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. perch — the fish
  9. pound — a weight
  10. ball — a great time
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. prune — to trim
  20. ball — a dance
  21. stand — to bear
  22. chair — a leader
  23. prune — the fruit
  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