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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: straw · bear · leaves · net · mouse · scale · perch · stock

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. scale — size or range
  5. bear — the animal
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. scale — in music
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. net — for catching
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. stock — goods
  17. perch — the fish
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. stock — shares
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. net — in sport
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. net — after costs

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