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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. march — the month
  4. plane — a tool
  5. stock — shares
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. perch — the fish
  12. march — the month
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bore — to tire
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. march — music
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. stock — goods

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