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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. ball — a great time
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a dance
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stock — goods
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. wound — an injury
  16. stock — shares
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. fork — in a road
  19. perch — the fish
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. branch — a division

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