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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. rush — hurry
  12. sharp — clever
  13. shower — to wash
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. stock — goods
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. shower — rain
  19. snap — to click
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. stock — shares

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