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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. net — for catching
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. stock — shares
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. net — after costs
  9. spell — magic
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. spell — letters
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. spell — a short time
  17. tear — to rip
  18. stock — goods
  19. tear — from crying
  20. rest — what's left
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. tear — from crying
  24. temple — a place of worship

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