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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.

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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pitch — completely
  3. rush — hurry
  4. perch — the fish
  5. suit — to fit
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. bear — the animal
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. suit — clothes
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. craft — boats
  14. stock — shares
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. stock — goods
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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