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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  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. racket — for tennis
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. stock — shares
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a path
  7. stock — goods
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bat — the animal
  10. kick — in football
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. key — for a lock
  23. track — a song
  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