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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — high quality
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. tube — the underground
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. stock — goods
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. chair — a leader
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. tube — a container

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