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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. fine — high quality
  3. stock — shares
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bass — low music
  7. capital — a city
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bass — the fish
  10. present — there
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fine — all right
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. present — a gift
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. capital — money
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. present — the time now
  24. nail — on a finger

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