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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. fork — in a road
  4. firm — steady
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. firm — decided
  13. branch — a division
  14. capital — a city
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stand — to bear
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. capital — money
  23. perch — the fish
  24. fork — a garden tool

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