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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. club — for golf
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. pit — a hole
  5. firm — decided
  6. present — there
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. wake — a trail
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — the fruit
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. firm — steady
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. present — the time now
  17. club — for dancing
  18. present — a gift
  19. club — a group
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. perch — the fish
  22. firm — a company
  23. toast — bread
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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