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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 120 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: sharp · stock · rush · key · bay · wind · coach · bear

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. sharp — clever
  3. wind — moving air
  4. key — in music
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bear — the animal
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. stock — goods
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. wind — moving air
  22. stock — shares
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bear — the animal

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