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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. last — final
  3. capital — money
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. club — for golf
  8. stock — shares
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. last — to go on
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. stock — goods
  16. club — for dancing
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. club — a group
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. deal — to handle
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. capital — a city
  24. last — finally

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