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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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. patient — calm and waiting
  4. charge — in control
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. present — the time now
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. present — there
  11. bass — low music
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. drill — army training
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — a price
  17. bass — the fish
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — a company
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. drill — a practice
  23. present — a gift
  24. firm — steady

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