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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bound — certain
  3. rock — a stone
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. rock — music
  6. last — final
  7. bound — tied together
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bound — obliged
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — a company
  15. last — finally
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. object — an aim
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. object — a thing
  20. perch — the fish
  21. last — to go on
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. object — to protest
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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