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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cell · stock · kick · suit · bay · foot

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. stock — goods
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. foot — a measure
  5. cell — a phone
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. suit — to fit
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. suit — in cards
  10. kick — in football
  11. suit — clothes
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. stock — shares
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. cell — in biology
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. bay — a part of the sea

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