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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. scale — in music
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bear — the animal
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. stock — shares
  13. rest — a break
  14. rule — government
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. scale — size or range
  21. stock — goods
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rule — a law

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