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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. perch — the fish
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stock — shares
  13. shower — rain
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. prune — to trim
  16. shower — to wash
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. prune — to trim
  19. stock — goods
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bowl — a dish

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