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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. perch — the fish
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. firm — steady
  10. wax — to grow
  11. spell — magic
  12. key — the most important part
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pitch — completely
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. key — in music
  17. spell — letters
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. firm — a company
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. spell — a short time
  24. wax — for sculpting

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