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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. face — part of the head
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. pitch — completely
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. face — to confront
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — there
  11. tube — the underground
  12. present — a gift
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. fork — in a road
  15. face — to point toward
  16. tube — a container
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. firm — decided
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. firm — steady
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — the fish

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