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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 120 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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. court — of a king
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — the fish
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. court — of law
  9. stock — shares
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — goods
  15. fine — all right
  16. sharp — clever
  17. court — for sport
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. dip — to sink
  23. fine — high quality
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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