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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. shower — rain
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bound — certain
  8. bound — tied together
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. stock — shares
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bound — obliged
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. shower — to wash
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. mark — a grade
  23. stock — goods
  24. bulb — for light

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