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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.

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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: stock · wound · firm · squash · deal · perch · can · mug

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a face
  3. stock — goods
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. wound — an injury
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. can — a tin
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. can — to be able to
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — steady
  13. squash — the sport
  14. firm — decided
  15. deal — to handle
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wound — an injury
  19. can — a tin
  20. stock — shares
  21. mug — a cup
  22. squash — to crush
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — the fish

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