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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. tube — the underground
  4. tube — a container
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. cue — for pool
  10. firm — steady
  11. sharp — clever
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. rush — hurry
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. cue — a hint
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. firm — decided
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. cue — a signal

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