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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. squash — the sport
  4. mug — to rob
  5. stock — shares
  6. tear — from crying
  7. squash — to crush
  8. mug — a face
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. stock — goods
  14. saw — the tool
  15. tear — to rip
  16. tear — from crying
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. saw — the tool
  19. mug — a cup
  20. dip — to sink
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. fan — to cool the air

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