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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. current — of water
  3. firm — decided
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. current — happening now
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. shower — rain
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. roll — a cake
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. roll — a list
  20. shower — to wash
  21. firm — a company
  22. perch — the fish
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. current — electric

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