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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. rock — a stone
  4. board — to get on
  5. perch — the fish
  6. firm — steady
  7. board — a committee
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. stock — goods
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. firm — decided
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. firm — a company
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. stock — shares
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. mouse — the animal

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