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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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. swing — to play on
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. stock — shares
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. firm — steady
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. firm — a company
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. pop — music
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. swing — music
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pop — to visit
  19. firm — decided
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. swing — in golf
  23. bore — to tire
  24. pop — soda

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