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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 124 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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. rest — a break
  4. hand — help
  5. stock — goods
  6. lean — thin
  7. pit — a hole
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. bass — the fish
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. lean — to bend
  13. stock — shares
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. rest — what's left
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. hand — in cards
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bass — low music
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. pit — in a race

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