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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. present — there
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. present — the time now
  8. branch — a division
  9. plane — a tool
  10. present — a gift
  11. race — humankind
  12. race — a contest
  13. mug — a cup
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. mug — to rob
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — goods
  22. race — the arms race
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. mug — a face

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