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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. firm — a company
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. board — to get on
  10. perch — the fish
  11. mark — a trace
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. firm — steady
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. bat — the animal
  19. board — a committee
  20. mark — a grade
  21. pit — in a race
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. firm — decided
  24. pit — a hole

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