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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — shares
  3. firm — decided
  4. key — the most important part
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. key — for a lock
  10. last — to go on
  11. stock — goods
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — steady
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. last — final
  20. key — in music
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bass — low music
  23. can — a tin
  24. last — finally

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