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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. last — finally
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. last — to go on
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. drill — the tool
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. drill — a practice
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. perch — the fish
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. firm — decided
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. last — final
  22. firm — steady
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. firm — a company

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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