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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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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: pop · chest · perch · root · racket · stand · present · fork

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. pop — to visit
  4. root — of a plant
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. fork — in a road
  9. present — there
  10. pop — soda
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. chest — a box
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. perch — the fish
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. root — the cause
  17. present — a gift
  18. chest — of your body
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. stand — to bear
  22. chest — of your body
  23. present — the time now
  24. root — of a word

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