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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: stock · safe · bowl · wake · band · perch · straw · bound

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — goods
  3. bound — obliged
  4. wake — a trail
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. stock — shares
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. band — a ring
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. perch — the fish
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — tied together
  22. band — a music group
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. straw — dry grass

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