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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. firm — steady
  7. fine — high quality
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. fine — all right
  11. court — of law
  12. firm — decided
  13. perch — the fish
  14. pit — a hole
  15. court — of a king
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. court — for sport
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. stand — to bear
  23. firm — a company
  24. trunk — of a car

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