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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.

Make a worksheet

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: wake · perch · dip · firm · key · content · stem · can

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. key — for a lock
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. can — to be able to
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. content — happy
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. content — the amount
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. key — the most important part
  12. firm — steady
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. firm — decided
  15. can — a tin
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. can — a tin
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. perch — the fish
  21. dip — to sink
  22. firm — a company
  23. key — in music
  24. stem — to come from

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