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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. current — electric
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. spell — magic
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pop — music
  10. saw — the tool
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pop — soda
  13. spell — a short time
  14. saw — the tool
  15. current — of water
  16. stock — shares
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. current — happening now
  19. perch — the fish
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bank — for money
  22. spell — letters
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bank — for money

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