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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. shower — rain
  4. saw — the tool
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. firm — steady
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. deal — to handle
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. degree — from a university
  12. degree — an amount
  13. saw — the tool
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — decided
  18. degree — temperature
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. key — for a lock
  21. shower — to wash
  22. perch — the fish
  23. key — in music
  24. key — the most important part

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