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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. mate — a partner
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. last — to go on
  6. last — finally
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. mate — a friend
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — clothes
  12. last — final
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. bore — to tire
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. sharp — clever
  17. mate — to breed
  18. lean — thin
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bore — to drill
  21. stock — goods
  22. lean — to bend
  23. suit — in cards
  24. stock — shares

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