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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 I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. bear — the animal
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. stock — goods
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bear — the animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bass — low music
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. calf — a young animal
  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