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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. lie — to recline
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. charge — a price
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. charge — in control
  13. cap — of ice
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. charge — electricity
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — a skill
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. stock — goods
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. lie — an untruth

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