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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. pound — a weight
  3. swing — to play on
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. stock — goods
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. suit — to fit
  9. swing — music
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. suit — clothes
  14. stock — shares
  15. court — of law
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. court — for sport
  20. swing — in golf
  21. perch — the fish
  22. suit — in cards
  23. court — of a king
  24. wave — of the sea

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