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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 120 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. firm — steady
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. suit — clothes
  10. chair — a leader
  11. stand — to bear
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to sink
  14. perch — the fish
  15. suit — in cards
  16. firm — a company
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. firm — decided
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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