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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pitch — completely
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. ground — a position
  9. rock — music
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. firm — steady
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. firm — a company
  15. ground — the earth
  16. ground — crushed
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. firm — decided
  19. perch — the fish
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rock — a stone
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. perch — for a bird

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