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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. rash — a series
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stock — goods
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. current — of water
  11. stock — shares
  12. pass — a permit
  13. current — electric
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. rash — hasty
  16. current — happening now
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. saw — the tool
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. nail — for a hammer

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