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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. pop — soda
  3. firm — steady
  4. wind — moving air
  5. can — a tin
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. can — to be able to
  8. wind — moving air
  9. mug — a cup
  10. can — a tin
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. suit — to fit
  13. firm — a company
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — goods
  17. pop — music
  18. pop — to visit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. perch — the fish
  21. suit — in cards
  22. firm — decided
  23. mug — a face
  24. mug — to rob

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