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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  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. pound — a weight
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. key — in music
  4. spell — a short time
  5. kick — in football
  6. perch — the fish
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. tube — a container
  13. tube — the underground
  14. key — the most important part
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. fork — in a road
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — shares
  19. key — for a lock
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — letters
  23. pound — to hit hard
  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