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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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. rash — hasty
  8. bat — the animal
  9. charge — a price
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. pit — a hole
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. stock — goods
  19. charge — in control
  20. stock — shares
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. rash — a series
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. charge — electricity

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