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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a cup
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bank — for money
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. fork — in a road
  11. bank — of a river
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. stock — goods
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. mug — a face
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. stock — shares
  24. bank — for money

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