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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. firm — a company
  4. present — the time now
  5. firm — decided
  6. bat — the animal
  7. current — of water
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. firm — steady
  10. scale — size or range
  11. mug — a cup
  12. perch — the fish
  13. scale — in music
  14. mug — a face
  15. current — happening now
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. mug — to rob
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. present — there
  22. present — a gift
  23. current — electric
  24. perch — for a bird

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