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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 116 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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. can — a tin
  3. court — of law
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mate — a friend
  8. can — to be able to
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. court — for sport
  11. stock — shares
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. ground — crushed
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. ground — a position
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. tube — the underground
  19. can — a tin
  20. court — of a king
  21. perch — the fish
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. stock — goods
  24. tube — a container

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