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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. squash — to crush
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bank — for money
  10. squash — the sport
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. firm — decided
  13. perch — the fish
  14. wake — a trail
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bank — of a river
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. firm — a company
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bank — for money
  22. firm — steady
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a horse colour

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