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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: perch · rest · straw · track · foot · craft · dip · roll

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. roll — a list
  3. rest — what's left
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. track — a song
  8. perch — the fish
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. craft — a skill
  14. track — a path
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. dip — to sink
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — a break
  20. roll — a cake
  21. track — to keep track
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. foot — a measure

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