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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. lie — to recline
  3. hand — help
  4. stock — goods
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. craft — boats
  7. suit — in cards
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. hand — in cards
  12. squash — to crush
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. suit — to fit
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. squash — the sport
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stock — shares
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. bear — the animal

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