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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. firm — steady
  3. mark — a grade
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. firm — decided
  7. perch — the fish
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. craft — boats
  10. firm — a company
  11. craft — a skill
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. bass — low music
  16. bass — the fish
  17. toast — bread
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pitch — completely
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. mark — a trace
  24. foot — a measure

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