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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: present · rush · snap · stand · pitcher · wound · perch · trunk

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. present — the time now
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. rush — hurry
  5. stand — to bear
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. perch — the fish
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. wound — an injury
  13. snap — to click
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. present — there
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. present — a gift
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. trunk — of a tree

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