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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. court — of law
  5. snap — to click
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. court — of a king
  9. object — a thing
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. object — an aim
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. cold — not warm
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. court — for sport
  19. object — to protest
  20. plane — a tool
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — goods
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. cold — an illness

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