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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: mug · mate · game · racket · stock · fan · bay · scale

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. mug — a cup
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. stock — shares
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mate — to breed
  9. game — wild animals
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. game — a match
  14. scale — in music
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. mate — a friend
  19. stock — goods
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mug — a face
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. scale — size or range
  24. stock — a soup base

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