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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 116 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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  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. stand — to bear
  2. perch — the fish
  3. firm — steady
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. march — the month
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. fine — high quality
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. march — music
  14. game — wild animals
  15. game — a match
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. fine — all right
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. firm — a company
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. plane — a tool
  23. firm — decided
  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