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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 120 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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. stock — goods
  5. mine — for digging
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. hand — in cards
  8. bass — low music
  9. wake — a trail
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. stock — shares
  13. hand — help
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. hand — part of the body

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