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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. mate — a friend
  6. rock — music
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. stock — goods
  9. wake — a trail
  10. face — to point toward
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to confront
  13. mate — to breed
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — the underground
  17. race — humankind
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. race — a contest
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. rock — a stone
  23. mate — a partner
  24. bay — a horse colour

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