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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  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. fall — to drop
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. rock — music
  4. fall — to drop
  5. staff — a stick
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. stock — goods
  10. track — a song
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — to sink
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. staff — employees
  15. perch — the fish
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. fall — the season
  18. rock — a stone
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. staff — employees
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a path
  23. stock — shares
  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