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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 120 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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. fork — in a road
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. degree — from a university
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. perch — the fish
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — goods
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — to protest
  13. bear — the animal
  14. object — a thing
  15. degree — temperature
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. degree — an amount
  24. stock — shares

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