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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · fine · stem · perch · spell · bay · lie · shower

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. spell — letters
  6. shower — to wash
  7. firm — steady
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. fine — all right
  12. spell — magic
  13. firm — decided
  14. shower — rain
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. firm — a company
  19. perch — the fish
  20. spell — a short time
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. fine — high quality
  23. lie — to recline
  24. fine — a penalty

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