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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 124 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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. kid — child
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. chip — to eat
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. stock — shares
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. stock — goods
  14. kid — to tease
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. chip — for betting
  17. mine — for digging
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. date — the fruit
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. stock — a soup base

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