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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. fork — in a road
  3. firm — steady
  4. firm — a company
  5. perch — the fish
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. ball — a dance
  12. firm — decided
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. spell — magic
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. spell — a short time
  21. ball — a great time
  22. spell — letters
  23. rock — a stone
  24. calf — a young animal

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