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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. stock — shares
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. mark — a trace
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. mark — a grade
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. chip — to eat
  16. spring — the season
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. chip — for betting
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. stock — goods
  24. spring — of water

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