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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. shower — rain
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. chair — a leader
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. shower — to wash
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — to fit
  20. stock — shares
  21. plane — a tool
  22. perch — the fish
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. wave — of the sea

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