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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 116 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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bulb — for light
  3. board — to get on
  4. perch — the fish
  5. shower — to wash
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. firm — a company
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. board — a committee
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. firm — decided
  15. fine — high quality
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. mug — a face
  19. shower — rain
  20. fine — all right
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — of a plant

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