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

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. march — the month
  3. court — for sport
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. stock — goods
  6. court — of a king
  7. key — the most important part
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. last — final
  11. court — of law
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. stock — shares
  14. key — for a lock
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. last — to go on
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. last — finally
  22. march — music
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. march — the month

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