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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 120 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. perch — the fish
  3. race — a contest
  4. firm — a company
  5. firm — steady
  6. present — the time now
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. present — a gift
  9. current — electric
  10. race — humankind
  11. craft — a skill
  12. current — happening now
  13. craft — boats
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. race — the arms race
  16. current — of water
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pit — a hole
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. firm — decided
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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