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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. firm — decided
  6. wound — an injury
  7. mark — a trace
  8. perch — the fish
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. wound — an injury
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. mark — a grade
  22. firm — steady
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. firm — a company

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