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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. bank — of a river
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. stock — goods
  6. bulb — for light
  7. degree — from a university
  8. face — to point toward
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. key — in music
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — part of the head
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pit — a hole
  16. degree — an amount
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bank — for money
  20. degree — temperature
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. key — for a lock
  23. stock — shares
  24. bank — for money

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