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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 116 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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. key — for a lock
  5. rock — music
  6. firm — steady
  7. perch — the fish
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. firm — a company
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fine — all right
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fine — high quality
  15. key — the most important part
  16. ground — the earth
  17. ground — a position
  18. ground — crushed
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. firm — decided
  22. rock — a stone
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. key — in music

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