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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. can — a tin
  3. track — to keep track
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — the most important part
  6. roll — a cake
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. can — to be able to
  9. present — the time now
  10. can — a tin
  11. present — a gift
  12. fine — high quality
  13. roll — a list
  14. fine — all right
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. key — in music
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. track — a song
  20. stock — shares
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. present — there
  23. stock — goods
  24. track — a path

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