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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mate — a friend
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. staff — employees
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. stock — goods
  12. stock — shares
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. net — after costs
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. net — for catching
  18. staff — a stick
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. net — in sport
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. staff — employees
  24. racket — a loud noise

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