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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. stock — shares
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. game — wild animals
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. lie — to recline
  13. perch — the fish
  14. wax — to grow
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. game — a match
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. lie — an untruth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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