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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. bear — the animal
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. stock — shares
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. key — for a lock
  8. stock — goods
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. key — the most important part
  11. rash — a series
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. rash — hasty
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bear — the animal
  19. scale — in music
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. key — in music
  24. snap — to click

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