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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. rule — a law
  6. capital — money
  7. staff — employees
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. field — farmland
  11. staff — a stick
  12. rule — government
  13. capital — a city
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. staff — employees
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stock — goods
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. field — a subject
  24. field — for sport

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