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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.

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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: stand · chip · perch · stick · rush · can · court · sharp

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. court — of a king
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. court — of law
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. can — to be able to
  8. chip — for betting
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. can — a tin
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rush — hurry
  18. court — for sport
  19. sharp — clever
  20. perch — the fish
  21. chip — to eat
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. stand — on your feet

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