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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. clip — a video
  6. stock — goods
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. clip — to cut
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. clip — for paper
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. ball — a great time
  21. stock — shares
  22. ball — a dance
  23. sharp — clever
  24. ruler — a monarch

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