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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. face — part of the head
  6. march — music
  7. face — to confront
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. tube — a container
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — a company
  14. march — the month
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. perch — the fish
  17. tube — the underground
  18. firm — decided
  19. face — to point toward
  20. march — the month
  21. stand — to bear
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. perch — for a bird

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