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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. tear — from crying
  5. stock — shares
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. key — in music
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — for a lock
  11. tear — from crying
  12. kick — in football
  13. firm — a company
  14. tear — to rip
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — decided
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. perch — the fish

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