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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 124 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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. foot — a measure
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — boats
  5. key — for a lock
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. craft — a skill
  12. kick — in football
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. tube — a container
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. key — the most important part
  19. stand — to bear
  20. tube — the underground
  21. key — in music
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — goods

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