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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. key — the most important part
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. stem — to come from
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. pit — a hole
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. pit — in a race
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — goods
  12. roll — a list
  13. key — in music
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. stock — shares
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — to grow
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. roll — a cake
  22. wound — an injury
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. key — for a lock

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