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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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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — goods
  5. bore — to tire
  6. content — the amount
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. stock — shares
  13. content — happy
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bore — to drill
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. lie — to recline

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