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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.

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: foot · can · content · perch · fall · leaves · craft · stock

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. fall — to drop
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. stock — shares
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. foot — a measure
  7. can — a tin
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. content — the amount
  11. perch — the fish
  12. fall — the season
  13. craft — boats
  14. fall — to drop
  15. stock — goods
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. craft — a skill
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. can — a tin
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. content — happy

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