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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: stand · perch · tube · cap · leaves · court · craft · object

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. court — for sport
  3. craft — a skill
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. court — of law
  6. cap — a lid
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. object — an aim
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — to bear
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — a container
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. court — of a king
  17. object — to protest
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — of ice
  20. craft — boats
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. tube — the underground
  24. object — a thing

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