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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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. ground — a position
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — steady
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. rash — hasty
  8. chair — a leader
  9. snap — to click
  10. perch — the fish
  11. ground — the earth
  12. fine — high quality
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ground — crushed
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. rash — a series
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. firm — a company
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. lie — to recline

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