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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bound — certain
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. bark — to shout
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. stock — shares
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. charge — a price
  16. craft — a skill
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bound — obliged
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bound — tied together
  21. charge — in control
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. craft — boats
  24. stock — goods

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