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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. firm — decided
  4. bank — for money
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. swing — in golf
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. sharp — clever
  13. perch — the fish
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. bark — to shout
  17. swing — to play on
  18. mark — a grade
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. swing — music
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — steady
  24. perch — for a bird

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