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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. can — a tin
  4. rock — a stone
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. row — to paddle
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. row — a line
  11. can — to be able to
  12. rock — music
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. stock — goods
  17. stock — shares
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. can — a tin
  24. perch — the fish

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