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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. present — the time now
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. perch — the fish
  10. present — a gift
  11. stock — shares
  12. bound — certain
  13. stock — goods
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bound — tied together
  17. mark — a trace
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. bound — obliged
  22. mark — a grade
  23. present — there
  24. stock — a soup base

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