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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: stock · can · land · straw · racket · present · bay · wake

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — a country
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. stock — goods
  6. land — ground
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. can — to be able to
  12. present — there
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. present — the time now
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. stock — shares
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wake — a trail
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. present — a gift
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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