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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. suit — in cards
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stock — goods
  9. tear — to rip
  10. rest — what's left
  11. tear — from crying
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rest — a break
  15. perch — the fish
  16. stock — shares
  17. suit — clothes
  18. court — of law
  19. court — of a king
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rest — what's left
  22. court — for sport
  23. tear — from crying
  24. mark — a trace

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