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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. pit — in a race
  5. stock — shares
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. pit — a hole
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. present — the time now
  19. season — in sport
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. present — there
  22. present — a gift
  23. season — of the year
  24. patient — a sick person

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