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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. firm — steady
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. mark — a grade
  5. firm — decided
  6. rule — government
  7. toast — bread
  8. perch — the fish
  9. rule — a law
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. shower — to wash
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a trace
  16. deal — to handle
  17. firm — a company
  18. shower — rain
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — in a race
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. pit — a hole

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