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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. firm — a company
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. track — a path
  5. rest — a break
  6. bulb — for light
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. perch — the fish
  9. board — to get on
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. board — a committee
  12. track — a song
  13. rest — what's left
  14. track — to keep track
  15. firm — steady
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bulb — for light
  24. temple — side of the head

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