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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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Word bank
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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. craft — a skill
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. perch — the fish
  6. craft — boats
  7. stock — shares
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. stock — goods
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. rock — music
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. rock — a stone

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