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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. branch — a division
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. stock — shares
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. perch — the fish
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. ground — crushed
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. snap — to click
  18. ground — the earth
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. ground — a position
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  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