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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. chest — of your body
  3. firm — steady
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pop — soda
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. present — the time now
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. pop — music
  10. firm — decided
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. perch — the fish
  14. toast — bread
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. present — there
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. chest — a box
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. present — a gift
  23. kick — in football
  24. chest — of your body

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