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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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. fork — in a road
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — goods
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. object — to protest
  8. club — for golf
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. board — a committee
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. club — a group
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. object — a thing
  16. board — to get on
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. object — an aim
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. club — for dancing

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