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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. toast — bread
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. stock — goods
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. sharp — clever
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. stock — shares
  10. hand — in cards
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. hand — help
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. charge — electricity
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. charge — a price
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. charge — in control
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. suit — in cards

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