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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. court — for sport
  3. rock — a stone
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. can — a tin
  6. pound — a weight
  7. court — of a king
  8. perch — the fish
  9. club — for dancing
  10. can — to be able to
  11. stock — goods
  12. club — a group
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. rock — music
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. court — of law
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. club — for golf
  24. can — a tin

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