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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — a partner
  4. drill — a practice
  5. row — to paddle
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. row — a line
  8. perch — the fish
  9. stock — goods
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. drill — the tool
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. craft — a skill
  21. drill — army training
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. craft — boats
  24. perch — for a bird

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