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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rule — a law
  4. rule — government
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. wake — a trail
  7. drill — army training
  8. stand — to bear
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. board — a committee
  11. perch — the fish
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. board — to get on
  14. drill — a practice
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. drill — the tool

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