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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 120 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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. firm — steady
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. firm — a company
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bark — to shout
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rock — music
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — goods
  13. rock — a stone
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. perch — the fish
  17. firm — decided
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. wound — an injury
  22. rush — hurry
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. wound — an injury

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