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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. bark — to shout
  4. charge — a price
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. craft — boats
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. charge — in control
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. stock — goods
  18. ball — a dance
  19. craft — a skill
  20. stock — shares
  21. charge — electricity
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. cap — a hat

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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