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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. stock — shares
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. branch — a division
  8. track — to keep track
  9. stock — goods
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pitch — completely
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. track — a song
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. track — a path
  24. racket — for tennis

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