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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. ground — the earth
  3. stock — goods
  4. stock — shares
  5. ground — a position
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rash — a series
  18. file — a line of people
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. ground — crushed
  24. file — a tool

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