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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  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. rock — to move gently
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. chair — a leader
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rush — hurry
  9. firm — decided
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. perch — the fish
  12. rock — music
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. firm — steady
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. snap — to click
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. lie — to recline
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. chair — a professorship
  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