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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. perch — the fish
  3. firm — steady
  4. track — to keep track
  5. firm — decided
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bat — the animal
  10. track — a path
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. toast — bread
  19. wax — to grow
  20. track — a song
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. firm — a company
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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