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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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. wax — to grow
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. drill — the tool
  6. pound — a weight
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. stock — goods
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. drill — army training
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. club — for golf
  13. club — for dancing
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stock — shares
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. rule — a law
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. club — a group
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rule — government
  24. drill — a practice

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