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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 120 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. club — for dancing
  3. can — a tin
  4. club — a group
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. can — to be able to
  7. firm — steady
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. club — for golf
  11. can — a tin
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. snap — to click
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — music
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. firm — a company
  23. season — of the year
  24. season — in sport

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