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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: can · stand · mine · key · spring · bark · foot · perch

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. key — in music
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bark — to shout
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. spring — the season
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. spring — of water
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. key — the most important part
  15. perch — the fish
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. spring — a coil
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. foot — a measure
  20. stand — to bear
  21. can — a tin
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. can — to be able to
  24. mine — for digging

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