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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. dip — to sink
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stock — shares
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. stock — goods
  8. rule — government
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to click
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. season — in sport
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. season — of the year
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. rush — hurry
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. rule — a law
  24. rush — to hurry

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