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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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Word bank
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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: pass · arm · scale · season · safe · stock · bay · spring

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — a coil
  11. pass — a permit
  12. spring — the season
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. scale — size or range
  18. season — in sport
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. scale — in music
  22. stock — goods
  23. stock — shares
  24. season — of the year

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