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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. mark — a grade
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. board — a committee
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. cue — for pool
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. stock — goods
  9. key — the most important part
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. key — in music
  12. board — to get on
  13. row — to paddle
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. mark — a trace
  18. cue — a signal
  19. key — for a lock
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. cue — a hint
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. row — a line
  24. stock — shares

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