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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 common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. track — a song
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. bound — certain
  5. rest — what's left
  6. lie — to recline
  7. track — to keep track
  8. rest — a break
  9. bound — tied together
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bound — obliged
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — steady
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. firm — a company
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. charge — in control
  19. track — a path
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rest — what's left
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. charge — a price

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