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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: wake · mark · row · nail · stock · bear · bay · season

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. row — to paddle
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. wake — a trail
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. row — a line
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bear — the animal
  10. mark — a grade
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. stock — goods
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stock — shares
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. season — of the year
  22. mark — a trace
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. season — in sport

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