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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. stock — goods
  3. row — to paddle
  4. hand — help
  5. press — newspapers
  6. hand — in cards
  7. press — to push
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. stock — shares
  14. row — a line
  15. bulb — for light
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. press — a publisher
  20. key — in music
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bass — low music

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