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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. spring — a coil
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. spring — the season
  8. spring — of water
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — a trace
  11. stock — shares
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. race — a contest
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. stock — goods
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. race — humankind
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. wake — before a funeral

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