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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. stock — goods
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. current — happening now
  6. stock — shares
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. current — of water
  12. land — a country
  13. land — to come down
  14. current — electric
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. ball — a dance
  17. land — ground
  18. bay — a part of the sea

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