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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. face — part of the head
  3. suit — to fit
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. fall — the season
  7. fall — to drop
  8. suit — clothes
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stock — shares
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. fall — to drop
  14. face — to point toward
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. face — to confront
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. perch — the fish
  20. rock — a stone
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. stock — goods
  23. suit — in cards
  24. rock — music

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