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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  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. can — a tin
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — the season
  4. stock — goods
  5. can — a tin
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. fall — to drop
  9. can — to be able to
  10. game — a match
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. game — wild animals
  18. key — in music
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. key — the most important part
  23. stock — shares
  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