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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. file — a tool
  3. stock — shares
  4. file — a line of people
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — all right
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. fine — high quality
  13. stock — goods
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. file — a document
  20. bark — to shout
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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