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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. net — for catching
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. net — after costs
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. ground — a position
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. ground — crushed
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. stock — goods
  21. net — in sport
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. wax — to grow
  24. stock — shares

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