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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. band — a ring
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. charge — a price
  6. stock — shares
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. rash — a series
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. charge — electricity
  13. rash — hasty
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. sharp — clever
  17. charge — in control
  18. band — a music group
  19. lie — to recline
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bark — to shout
  24. stock — goods

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