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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. present — there
  4. present — the time now
  5. key — the most important part
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. key — for a lock
  8. dip — to sink
  9. net — for catching
  10. toast — bread
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — shares
  13. key — in music
  14. content — the amount
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. content — happy
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. net — after costs
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. present — a gift
  23. stock — goods
  24. net — in sport

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