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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 124 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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: mark · mate · stock · mine · bear · key · leaves · perch

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. mate — a partner
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. stock — shares
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. key — in music
  15. mark — a grade
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stock — goods
  19. key — for a lock
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mate — to breed

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