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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. key — the most important part
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bound — obliged
  6. rush — hurry
  7. key — in music
  8. chair — a leader
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. craft — boats
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. craft — a skill
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — government
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bound — certain
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bound — tied together
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. rule — a law

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