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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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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: bay · stock · race · spring · perch · key · leaves · racket

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. race — the arms race
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. spring — the season
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. key — the most important part
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. perch — the fish
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. stock — goods
  17. race — a contest
  18. race — humankind
  19. key — for a lock
  20. spring — a coil
  21. spring — of water
  22. stock — shares
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bay — a horse colour

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