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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. firm — a company
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. firm — steady
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. stock — shares
  7. spell — a short time
  8. court — for sport
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. key — in music
  11. court — of law
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. spell — letters
  14. firm — decided
  15. bank — of a river
  16. spell — magic
  17. key — the most important part
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. court — of a king
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bank — for money
  23. stock — goods
  24. bank — for money

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