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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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. wake — a trail
  3. net — after costs
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. net — in sport
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bulb — for light
  8. stock — goods
  9. stock — shares
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. suit — to fit
  16. wax — to grow
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. bulb — for light
  21. snap — to click
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. net — for catching
  24. wake — before a funeral

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