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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. stock — shares
  3. club — for dancing
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. mate — to breed
  6. stock — goods
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. mate — a friend
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. club — a group
  20. rest — a break
  21. club — for golf
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. mate — a partner
  24. rest — what's left

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