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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. key — for a lock
  3. fork — in a road
  4. stock — shares
  5. bulb — for light
  6. key — in music
  7. mark — a trace
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bulb — for light
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. stock — goods
  14. mark — a grade
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. fork — to eat with

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