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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — goods
  3. wound — an injury
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to confront
  6. net — in sport
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. net — after costs
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. stock — shares
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. face — to point toward
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. net — for catching
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. wound — an injury
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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