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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.

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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pound — a weight
  4. can — a tin
  5. stock — shares
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. can — to be able to
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — goods
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. can — a tin
  19. kick — in football
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. tube — the underground
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. perch — the fish

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