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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 words: he'll be late again.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. object — to protest
  3. pop — to visit
  4. object — a thing
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. stock — shares
  7. net — in sport
  8. suit — clothes
  9. pop — soda
  10. pop — music
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. net — for catching
  13. stock — goods
  14. object — an aim
  15. mark — a grade
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. perch — the fish
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mark — a trace
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. net — after costs
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. suit — in cards

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