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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. key — for a lock
  3. can — a tin
  4. key — in music
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. stock — goods
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. root — of a word
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. tube — a container
  15. can — to be able to
  16. season — of the year
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. root — of a plant
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — the underground
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. root — the cause
  23. season — in sport
  24. can — a tin

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