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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  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. stock — shares
  2. pound — a weight
  3. stock — goods
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. suit — to fit
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bass — the fish
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. bass — low music
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. rush — hurry
  23. racket — for tennis
  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