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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · perch · kick · stock · face · pop

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pop — soda
  6. suit — clothes
  7. face — part of the head
  8. perch — the fish
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. pop — music
  11. stock — goods
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. face — to confront
  14. suit — to fit
  15. face — to point toward
  16. pop — to visit
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — in football

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