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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: perch · straw · fork · wake · mouse · mug · nail · stock

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. perch — the fish
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — in a road
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. wake — a trail
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. stock — goods
  14. mug — a face
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. stock — shares
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. mug — a cup
  24. nail — for a hammer

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