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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. saw — the tool
  5. content — the amount
  6. can — to be able to
  7. pop — soda
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. content — happy
  10. saw — the tool
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pop — music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. can — a tin
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. can — a tin
  20. pop — to visit
  21. stock — shares
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. stock — goods
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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