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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. key — for a lock
  3. staff — employees
  4. key — in music
  5. staff — a stick
  6. can — a tin
  7. staff — employees
  8. key — the most important part
  9. stock — goods
  10. stock — shares
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. can — to be able to
  13. cue — for pool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. cue — a hint
  16. can — a tin
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. season — of the year
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. cue — a signal
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. chair — a leader

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