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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. can — to be able to
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. rule — government
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. stock — goods
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. track — a path
  13. track — a song
  14. lean — to bend
  15. track — to keep track
  16. can — a tin
  17. perch — the fish
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. stock — shares
  20. rule — a law
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. snap — to click
  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