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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. firm — a company
  5. vault — a safe
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. perch — the fish
  11. roll — a list
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. cap — a hat
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. cap — of ice
  17. roll — a cake
  18. firm — decided
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. sharp — clever
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. firm — steady

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