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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.

Make a worksheet

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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. rest — what's left
  3. stock — shares
  4. firm — steady
  5. mug — a cup
  6. perch — the fish
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. stock — goods
  9. firm — a company
  10. craft — a skill
  11. mug — to rob
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. mug — a face
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. craft — boats
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. firm — decided
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. rest — what's left
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rest — a break
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. fan — to cool the air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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