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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. perch — the fish
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. firm — steady
  6. tube — the underground
  7. current — happening now
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. current — electric
  10. current — of water
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. firm — decided
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. tube — a container
  19. bark — to shout
  20. firm — a company
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — for spectators

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