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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
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: sharp · racket · mouse · tube · mate · staff · stock · perch

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. staff — a stick
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. sharp — clever
  12. staff — employees
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mate — to breed
  15. perch — the fish
  16. stock — goods
  17. tube — a container
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. stock — shares
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. staff — employees

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