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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 120 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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stock — goods
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stock — shares
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. deal — to handle
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. deal — an agreement

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