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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. cap — of ice
  4. foot — a measure
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — a company
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. cap — a lid
  12. perch — the fish
  13. firm — steady
  14. cap — a hat
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. stock — shares
  19. toast — bread
  20. shower — rain
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. stock — goods
  23. shower — to wash
  24. rush — hurry

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