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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. shower — to wash
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. press — newspapers
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. press — to push
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. perch — the fish
  12. press — a publisher
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. wind — moving air
  15. shower — rain
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. sharp — clever
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. stock — shares
  22. wind — moving air
  23. stock — goods
  24. pound — a weight

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