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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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. mine — for digging
  3. staff — employees
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. key — in music
  6. staff — a stick
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. key — the most important part
  10. stock — goods
  11. season — in sport
  12. stock — shares
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. foot — a measure
  15. club — for golf
  16. staff — employees
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. key — for a lock
  19. club — for dancing
  20. club — a group
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. season — of the year
  24. mine — belonging to me

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