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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 120 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 covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. stock — shares
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. degree — from a university
  8. suit — to fit
  9. degree — temperature
  10. suit — in cards
  11. degree — an amount
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. ground — crushed
  14. rest — a break
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stock — goods
  19. rest — what's left
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. rest — what's left
  22. ground — a position
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bay — a horse colour

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