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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. key — the most important part
  3. wound — an injury
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. fork — in a road
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. key — for a lock
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. stock — shares
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. wound — an injury
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. stock — goods
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. can — a tin
  24. key — in 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