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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. stock — goods
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. squash — to crush
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. kick — in football
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. court — of law
  17. track — a song
  18. squash — the sport
  19. stock — shares
  20. track — to keep track
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. court — for sport
  23. track — a path
  24. court — of a king

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