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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. sharp — clever
  3. stock — goods
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. spring — a coil
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — for a lock
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. plane — a tool
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. spring — of water
  15. spring — the season
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mark — a trace
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. key — in music
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. mark — a grade
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. stock — shares
  24. stand — to bear

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