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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — the fish
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. pop — to visit
  8. firm — a company
  9. pop — soda
  10. firm — steady
  11. pop — music
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. firm — decided
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. lean — thin
  24. wound — an injury

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