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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 116 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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. rock — a stone
  4. tube — the underground
  5. stock — shares
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. object — a thing
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. object — to protest
  12. object — an aim
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. perch — the fish
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. stock — goods
  18. tube — a container
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. rock — music
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pitch — completely
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. patient — a sick person

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