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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. club — for dancing
  4. club — a group
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. kid — child
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. firm — steady
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. perch — the fish
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. club — for golf
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. firm — a company
  22. kid — to tease
  23. bowl — a dish
  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