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

Word bank: firm · lie · bay · present · prune · perch · mark · row

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. firm — a company
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. firm — steady
  5. present — a gift
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. present — the time now
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. row — to paddle
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. firm — decided
  14. mark — a grade
  15. present — there
  16. lie — to recline
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. perch — the fish
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. prune — to trim
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. row — a line
  24. mark — a trace

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