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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. perch — the fish
  5. stock — goods
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. lie — to recline
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. ball — a great time
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. craft — boats
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — a law
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. craft — a skill
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. ball — a dance
  24. safe — out of danger

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