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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. ball — a great time
  3. charge — electricity
  4. bound — certain
  5. firm — decided
  6. saw — the tool
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bound — obliged
  9. perch — the fish
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — in control
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. firm — a company
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a dance
  19. pit — a hole
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bound — tied together
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. pit — in a race
  24. firm — steady

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