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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. stock — goods
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. toast — bread
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. stock — shares
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. shower — rain
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. season — in sport
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. branch — a division
  19. shower — to wash
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. season — of the year

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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