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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. perch — the fish
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stock — shares
  5. suit — in cards
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. scale — in music
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. can — to be able to
  12. suit — to fit
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. suit — clothes
  15. scale — size or range
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. stock — goods
  21. bark — to shout
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. deal — to handle

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