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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. stock — shares
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. stock — goods
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. track — to keep track
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. ball — a great time
  10. track — a path
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. track — a song
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. ball — a dance
  22. kick — in football
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. wave — with your hand

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