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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. firm — decided
  4. last — to go on
  5. staff — employees
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. last — final
  8. firm — a company
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. staff — employees
  12. bat — the animal
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. staff — a stick
  15. perch — the fish
  16. craft — a skill
  17. last — finally
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. craft — boats
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. trunk — of a tree

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