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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
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: bear · club · scale · object · perch · bat · stand · mine

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — an aim
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. stand — to bear
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — size or range
  12. club — a group
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. club — for golf
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bear — the animal
  17. object — to protest
  18. club — for dancing
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bat — the animal
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mine — belonging to me

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