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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. snap — to click
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. firm — a company
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. firm — steady
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. firm — decided
  12. deal — to handle
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. trunk — of a car

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