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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. can — a tin
  5. drill — army training
  6. can — to be able to
  7. firm — decided
  8. can — a tin
  9. perch — the fish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. row — a line
  12. drill — a practice
  13. row — to paddle
  14. stock — goods
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. firm — steady
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. drill — the tool
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. firm — a company
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. stock — shares

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