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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. stock — goods
  4. can — a tin
  5. stock — shares
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. capital — a city
  8. craft — a skill
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. spell — magic
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. craft — boats
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. capital — money
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. spell — letters
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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