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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.

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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: scale · mouse · bore · stock · sharp · race · perch · bear

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. scale — in music
  3. bear — the animal
  4. stock — goods
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. race — the arms race
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. scale — size or range
  10. race — a contest
  11. bear — the animal
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. perch — the fish
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. race — humankind
  18. bore — to tire
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bore — to drill
  23. stock — shares
  24. mouse — the animal

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