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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. hand — help
  3. stock — goods
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. spring — of water
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. hand — in cards
  11. ball — a great time
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. stock — shares
  19. spring — a coil
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — a committee
  24. leaves — lets stay

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