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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 116 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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. mine — for digging
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. stock — shares
  7. wind — moving air
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. perch — the fish
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. wind — moving air
  15. suit — clothes
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. dip — to sink
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. stock — goods
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. track — a path
  23. track — to keep track
  24. track — a song

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