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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 120 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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. plane — a tool
  5. track — a path
  6. track — a song
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. root — the cause
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. stock — shares
  13. track — to keep track
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. stock — goods
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. root — of a word
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. root — of a plant

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