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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. key — in music
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. key — for a lock
  6. shower — rain
  7. key — the most important part
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. shower — to wash
  14. stock — shares
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. sharp — clever

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