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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. fork — in a road
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. stock — shares
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. saw — the tool
  14. track — to keep track
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. track — a path
  17. saw — the tool
  18. land — a country
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. stock — goods
  21. land — ground
  22. land — to come down
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. track — a song

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