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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. squash — to crush
  3. rock — a stone
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. lean — to bend
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. lean — thin
  11. squash — the sport
  12. perch — the fish
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. firm — a company
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — steady
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. stand — to bear
  23. rock — music
  24. stand — for spectators

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