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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 · club · pop · key · rock · ruler · perch · spring

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. club — for dancing
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. club — a group
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — to visit
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — music
  10. spring — the season
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. key — the most important part
  13. spring — a coil
  14. key — in music
  15. spring — of water
  16. pop — music
  17. key — for a lock
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rock — a stone
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. club — for golf
  24. stand — to bear

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