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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. object — a thing
  3. can — a tin
  4. object — an aim
  5. stock — shares
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. march — the month
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. stock — goods
  11. can — to be able to
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. perch — the fish
  15. cue — a signal
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. cue — a hint
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. march — the month
  20. march — music
  21. object — to protest
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. can — a tin
  24. cue — for pool

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