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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. hand — in cards
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bear — the animal
  7. cue — for pool
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mark — a trace
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — shares
  14. hand — help
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. cue — a hint
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. cue — a signal

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