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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. hand — in cards
  4. bear — the animal
  5. key — in music
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. key — the most important part
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. stock — shares
  14. pass — a permit
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. key — for a lock
  17. hand — help
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stock — goods
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. stock — a soup base

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