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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 · stand · firm · content · net · ruler · hand · foot

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. hand — help
  5. net — in sport
  6. firm — steady
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. hand — in cards
  9. content — happy
  10. stand — to bear
  11. foot — a measure
  12. net — for catching
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. net — after costs
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. content — the amount
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. firm — decided
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. firm — a company
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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