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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. tube — a container
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. firm — steady
  6. spell — magic
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. firm — decided
  10. present — a gift
  11. mark — a trace
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. tube — the underground
  15. present — there
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. firm — a company
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. spell — a short time
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. perch — the fish
  22. spell — letters
  23. present — the time now
  24. tube — in a tire

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