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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. swing — in golf
  3. can — to be able to
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. can — a tin
  8. spell — magic
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — to play on
  11. can — a tin
  12. field — a subject
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. key — in music
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. spell — letters
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. stock — shares
  19. field — for sport
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. stock — goods
  23. field — farmland
  24. key — for a lock

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