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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. pound — a weight
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — shares
  5. press — newspapers
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. key — the most important part
  11. perch — the fish
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. key — in music
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. rest — what's left
  16. key — for a lock
  17. press — to push
  18. press — a publisher
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. stock — goods
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. perch — for a bird

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