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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — the fish
  5. stock — goods
  6. club — for golf
  7. craft — boats
  8. date — the fruit
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. object — to protest
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. object — a thing
  15. club — for dancing
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. object — an aim
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. stock — shares
  20. spell — letters
  21. craft — a skill
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. club — a group

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