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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. firm — a company
  3. wind — moving air
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. craft — boats
  7. firm — decided
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. wind — moving air
  11. mark — a grade
  12. charge — in control
  13. stand — to bear
  14. perch — the fish
  15. firm — steady
  16. charge — electricity
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. mark — a trace
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. craft — a skill
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. charge — a price
  24. jam — in traffic

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