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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. pound — a weight
  3. chest — a box
  4. perch — the fish
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. chest — of your body
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. stock — shares
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. stock — goods
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. chest — of your body
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. fork — in a road
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. nail — on a finger

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