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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: bat · lie · stock · spell · bay · swing · safe · shower

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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. bat — for baseball
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — goods
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. swing — in golf
  9. shower — to wash
  10. spell — magic
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. swing — music
  13. bat — the animal
  14. lie — to recline
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. spell — letters
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. shower — rain
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. spell — a short time
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stock — shares
  23. swing — to play on
  24. safe — out of danger

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