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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 got himself in a ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. firm — decided
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bound — certain
  10. bank — of a river
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bank — for money
  14. mark — a grade
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. bound — obliged
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — to bear
  19. firm — a company
  20. roll — a cake
  21. bank — for money
  22. bound — tied together
  23. firm — steady
  24. roll — a list

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