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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. firm — decided
  4. pit — a hole
  5. spell — magic
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pit — in a race
  8. spell — letters
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. firm — a company
  11. dip — to sink
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. firm — steady
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rash — hasty
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. spell — a short time
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. rock — music
  22. rest — what's left
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. dip — to dunk

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