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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. saw — the tool
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — goods
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. track — a path
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pop — to visit
  9. lie — to recline
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. pop — music
  14. track — to keep track
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. stock — shares
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lean — thin
  19. pop — soda
  20. saw — the tool
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. lean — to bend
  24. track — a song

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