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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 116 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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. stock — goods
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. scale — in music
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stock — shares
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. snap — to click
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. lie — to recline
  20. scale — size or range
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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