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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. craft — boats
  3. can — a tin
  4. spell — a short time
  5. craft — a skill
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. chip — for betting
  8. rush — hurry
  9. spell — magic
  10. perch — the fish
  11. spell — letters
  12. pit — a hole
  13. stock — shares
  14. chip — to eat
  15. can — to be able to
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. pit — in a race
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stock — goods
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. can — a tin

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