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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. stock — shares
  3. pound — a weight
  4. object — to protest
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. stock — goods
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. rock — a stone
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. rock — music
  16. perch — the fish
  17. object — a thing
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. band — a music group
  22. object — an aim
  23. band — a ring
  24. band — a rubber band

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