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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. fine — high quality
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cap — a lid
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stock — goods
  12. fine — all right
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. can — a tin
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. can — a tin
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. cap — a hat
  20. can — to be able to
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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