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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. suit — clothes
  4. key — the most important part
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. tube — a container
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. key — for a lock
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. tube — the underground
  16. mine — for digging
  17. suit — to fit
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. stock — goods
  21. key — in music
  22. stand — to bear
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

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