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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. firm — a company
  3. mark — a trace
  4. march — music
  5. cue — a hint
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. perch — the fish
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mark — a grade
  13. rash — a series
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. firm — decided
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cue — for pool
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. march — the month
  23. firm — steady
  24. march — the month

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