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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: march · shower · leaves · foot · toast · bay · stock · pitcher

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. toast — bread
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. shower — to wash
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. stock — shares
  11. march — the month
  12. shower — rain
  13. foot — a measure
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. march — music
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. stock — goods
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. march — the month
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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