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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. prune — to trim
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fine — all right
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rush — hurry
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. ground — crushed
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. club — a group
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fine — high quality
  14. club — for golf
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. perch — the fish
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — to bear
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. club — for dancing
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. ground — a position
  24. patient — a sick person

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