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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. kid — child
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. stock — goods
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. kid — to tease
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stock — shares
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. safe — out of danger

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