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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bark — to shout
  4. key — in music
  5. land — a country
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — a permit
  8. cap — a lid
  9. land — to come down
  10. land — ground
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. key — the most important part
  13. stock — shares
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — in a race
  18. stock — goods
  19. key — for a lock
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cap — a hat

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