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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. race — humankind
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fine — all right
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. race — a contest
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. fine — high quality
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. rest — what's left
  19. perch — the fish
  20. lie — to recline
  21. race — the arms race
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stock — goods
  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