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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. mug — to rob
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rash — a series
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. mug — a cup
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. stock — goods
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. stock — shares
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. mug — a face
  24. fan — a supporter

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