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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bulb — for light
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. fine — all right
  10. firm — a company
  11. wake — a trail
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. key — in music
  15. key — the most important part
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. firm — steady
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bulb — for light
  22. firm — decided
  23. key — for a lock
  24. fine — high quality

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