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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. perch — the fish
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. lean — thin
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. bear — the animal
  9. toast — bread
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bear — the animal
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. snap — to click
  16. band — a music group
  17. band — a ring
  18. firm — steady
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. lean — to bend
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. firm — a company

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