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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. present — there
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. pit — a hole
  6. present — the time now
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. stock — shares
  9. present — a gift
  10. stock — goods
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. suit — to fit
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. suit — clothes
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. perch — the fish
  24. suit — in cards

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