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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. can — to be able to
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. can — a tin
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. can — a tin
  11. pit — in a race
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stock — goods
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ground — the earth
  17. perch — the fish
  18. ground — a position
  19. ball — a great time
  20. roll — a list
  21. roll — a cake
  22. stock — shares
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. ground — crushed

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