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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — decided
  3. root — the cause
  4. stock — goods
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. key — in music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. vault — a safe
  9. drill — a practice
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. drill — the tool
  13. lean — thin
  14. root — of a word
  15. bat — the animal
  16. drill — army training
  17. firm — steady
  18. key — for a lock
  19. stock — shares
  20. root — of a plant
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bat — in an idiom

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