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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. hand — help
  5. drill — army training
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. drill — the tool
  8. suit — to fit
  9. lean — to bend
  10. hand — in cards
  11. cue — for pool
  12. suit — in cards
  13. cue — a hint
  14. cue — a signal
  15. key — in music
  16. drill — a practice
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. suit — clothes
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — the most important part
  21. stock — shares
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. stock — goods
  24. leaves — of a tree

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