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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. drill — a practice
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. key — for a lock
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. stock — goods
  16. drill — army training
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. dip — to sink
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. key — the most important part
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. drill — the tool
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. key — in music

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