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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. wind — moving air
  4. cue — a signal
  5. object — a thing
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. degree — temperature
  8. stock — shares
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. wind — moving air
  12. cue — a hint
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — goods
  16. object — an aim
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. degree — an amount
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. cue — for pool
  22. degree — from a university
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. object — to protest

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