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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 116 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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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: kick · mate · cell · bay · mug · stock · wave · stand

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. mug — a face
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. cell — in biology
  6. stock — shares
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — to breed
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. cell — a phone
  13. stock — goods
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. mug — a cup
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. mug — to rob

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