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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 116 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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  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. stock — shares
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. root — of a word
  4. chip — to eat
  5. suit — clothes
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. root — of a plant
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — for betting
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. lie — to recline
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. suit — to fit
  20. root — the cause
  21. stock — goods
  22. suit — in cards
  23. wax — to grow
  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