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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 120 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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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. field — farmland
  3. lie — to recline
  4. field — a subject
  5. bear — the animal
  6. current — of water
  7. foot — a measure
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. net — for catching
  13. net — after costs
  14. stock — goods
  15. current — electric
  16. field — for sport
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. current — happening now
  20. net — in sport
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stock — shares
  24. lie — an untruth

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