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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. firm — a company
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. net — for catching
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bound — certain
  7. bass — the fish
  8. firm — steady
  9. net — after costs
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. perch — the fish
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bass — low music
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — thin
  23. firm — decided
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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