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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. dip — to sink
  3. stock — goods
  4. saw — the tool
  5. stock — shares
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. perch — the fish
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rock — a stone
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. rock — music
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. scale — in music
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. bowl — a football final

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