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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 120 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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. scale — in music
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. charge — electricity
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. cue — for pool
  10. shower — to wash
  11. cue — a signal
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — in control
  15. scale — size or range
  16. stock — shares
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. cue — a hint
  19. dip — to sink
  20. perch — the fish
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. shower — rain

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