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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. court — of a king
  3. bear — the animal
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. court — of law
  10. suit — in cards
  11. court — for sport
  12. suit — clothes
  13. board — a committee
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. stock — goods
  16. wake — a trail
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. board — to get on
  22. bear — the animal
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. suit — to fit

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