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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 116 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
468
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: mouse · stand · sharp · perch · fan · stick · capital · track

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. capital — money
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. capital — a city
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. track — a song
  16. stand — to bear
  17. track — to keep track
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. sharp — clever
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. track — a path

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