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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. land — to come down
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. rash — a series
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. stock — goods
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. rash — hasty
  21. land — a country
  22. land — ground
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. hide — animal skin

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