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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. wax — to grow
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. kick — in football
  5. perch — the fish
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. craft — boats
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stock — shares
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. craft — a skill
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — to play on
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. swing — in golf
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

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