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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. cap — a lid
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. saw — the tool
  6. cap — a hat
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. hand — in cards
  15. hand — help
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. stock — goods
  20. snap — to click
  21. cap — of ice
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. stock — a soup base
  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