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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. present — a gift
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. present — there
  6. current — of water
  7. present — the time now
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. stock — shares
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. current — happening now
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stock — goods
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. mark — a trace
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. current — electric

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