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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. season — of the year
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. suit — to fit
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. suit — clothes
  9. kick — in football
  10. court — of a king
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. stock — shares
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. season — in sport
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stock — goods
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. court — of law
  23. court — for sport
  24. ruler — a monarch

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