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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. firm — steady
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. row — a line
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. charge — electricity
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. row — to paddle
  14. charge — a price
  15. firm — decided
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. pass — a permit
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. charge — in control
  21. perch — the fish
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. firm — a company
  24. wound — an injury

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