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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rush — hurry
  4. firm — steady
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. cap — a lid
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. bound — obliged
  12. firm — decided
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. perch — the fish
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a hat
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. bound — certain
  21. bat — the animal
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. bound — tied together

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