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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: bass · stand · pound · calf · perch · wave · roll · stem

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. roll — a list
  5. perch — the fish
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. roll — a cake
  8. bass — low music
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bass — the fish
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. pound — a weight
  15. stand — to bear
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. stem — of a plant

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