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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 120 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pitch — completely
  3. firm — decided
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. stand — to bear
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — thin
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. wind — moving air
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. firm — steady
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. perch — the fish
  20. firm — a company
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. vault — a safe
  24. wind — moving air

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