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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 116 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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pop — soda
  3. stock — goods
  4. root — the cause
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. root — of a word
  7. pop — to visit
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — to play on
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. key — the most important part
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. root — of a plant
  16. stock — shares
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. swing — in golf
  19. key — for a lock
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pop — music

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