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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. perch — the fish
  5. track — to keep track
  6. stand — to bear
  7. track — a path
  8. saw — the tool
  9. track — a song
  10. suit — to fit
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. ground — the earth
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — the most important part
  16. saw — the tool
  17. ground — a position
  18. mark — a grade
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — in cards
  22. mark — a trace
  23. ground — crushed
  24. mark — to pay attention

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