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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. march — the month
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. stock — shares
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. march — music
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. kid — child
  9. pass — a permit
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. kid — to tease
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. march — the month
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. stock — goods
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. nail — for a hammer

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