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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bank — for money
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. wound — an injury
  6. craft — boats
  7. perch — the fish
  8. staff — employees
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bank — of a river
  11. stock — goods
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. chair — a leader
  16. stock — shares
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bank — for money
  19. staff — a stick
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. staff — employees
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. stock — a soup base

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