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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. stock — shares
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. track — a song
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. band — a music group
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. degree — an amount
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. band — a ring
  13. degree — temperature
  14. stock — goods
  15. track — to keep track
  16. deal — to handle
  17. track — a path
  18. branch — a division
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. degree — from a university
  24. safe — a strongbox

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