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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
468
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 · ball · perch · tear · club · bay · rush · fan

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. tear — to rip
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. tear — from crying
  9. club — for golf
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — the fish
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. club — for dancing
  16. firm — steady
  17. tear — from crying
  18. club — a group
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — a company
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. fan — to cool the air

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