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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.

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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 · march · perch · shower · mark · toast · temple · kick

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. shower — rain
  3. mark — a grade
  4. stock — goods
  5. march — the month
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. shower — to wash
  10. perch — the fish
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. kick — in football
  14. stock — shares
  15. march — the month
  16. toast — bread
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. march — music
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a trace
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. perch — for a bird

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