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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. cap — a lid
  7. stock — shares
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. pit — a hole
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. march — music
  18. stock — goods
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. march — the month
  21. march — the month
  22. cap — a hat
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. bay — a horse colour

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