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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. craft — a skill
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. stock — goods
  6. craft — boats
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. firm — decided
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. firm — steady
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. stock — shares
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. firm — a company
  19. mine — for digging
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. deal — to handle

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