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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. perch — the fish
  3. mate — a friend
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. stock — goods
  7. rest — what's left
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. mate — a partner
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. stock — shares
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. rest — what's left
  24. mate — to breed

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