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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 116 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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. net — in sport
  4. firm — decided
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. perch — the fish
  7. object — to protest
  8. net — after costs
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — to bear
  11. object — a thing
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bass — the fish
  15. rash — a series
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. net — for catching
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — steady
  22. object — an aim
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. bass — low music

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