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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. toast — bread
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. wound — an injury
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. mug — a face
  8. stock — goods
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. can — a tin
  12. wound — an injury
  13. tear — from crying
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. tear — from crying
  17. stock — shares
  18. mug — to rob
  19. tear — to rip
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. can — a tin
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. mug — a cup

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