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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. ball — a great time
  5. mug — a face
  6. stock — shares
  7. mug — a cup
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. craft — boats
  12. bear — the animal
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rash — hasty
  15. mug — to rob
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. ball — a dance
  18. rash — a series
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. stock — goods
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. foot — a measure

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