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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 120 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. court — of a king
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. court — of law
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stock — goods
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stock — shares
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. court — for sport
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. pit — in a race
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. rest — a break

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