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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. track — a path
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. clip — for paper
  5. object — a thing
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. track — a song
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. game — wild animals
  11. game — a match
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — a company
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. firm — decided
  17. perch — the fish
  18. object — an aim
  19. clip — a video
  20. track — to keep track
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. object — to protest
  24. clip — to cut

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