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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. board — to get on
  4. stock — goods
  5. board — a committee
  6. fork — in a road
  7. stock — shares
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. squash — the sport
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. track — a path
  13. track — a song
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. kick — in football
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. squash — to crush

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