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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. scale — in music
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. ground — a position
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. staff — a stick
  10. scale — size or range
  11. staff — employees
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. staff — employees
  16. firm — a company
  17. tear — from crying
  18. stem — to come from
  19. tear — to rip
  20. tear — from crying
  21. ground — crushed
  22. ground — the earth
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — decided

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