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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. stock — shares
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. suit — in cards
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. land — to come down
  10. suit — clothes
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. land — a country
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. stock — goods
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. squash — to crush
  20. land — ground
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mine — for digging
  24. squash — the sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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