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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. stock — goods
  3. board — to get on
  4. object — to protest
  5. object — a thing
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. perch — the fish
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. wake — a trail
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. object — an aim
  12. stock — shares
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. suit — to fit
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. mark — a trace
  20. board — a committee
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — clothes
  23. mark — a grade
  24. pound — a weight

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