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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 124 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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. mug — a face
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bass — low music
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. firm — steady
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bass — the fish
  9. object — an aim
  10. firm — decided
  11. mug — to rob
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. mug — a cup
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. saw — the tool
  18. firm — a company
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. lean — thin
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — a thing
  24. lean — to bend

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