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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 116 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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pit — a hole
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. wake — a trail
  15. lean — thin
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. pit — in a race
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. lean — to bend
  22. stock — goods
  23. stock — shares
  24. lean — to rest against

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