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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. rest — what's left
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. stock — goods
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. rest — what's left
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. lean — thin
  11. scale — size or range
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. stock — shares
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. lean — to bend
  22. scale — in music
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rest — a break

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