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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pit — a hole
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. key — the most important part
  7. fork — in a road
  8. stock — shares
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. stock — goods
  15. key — for a lock
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. branch — a division
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. branch — of a bank

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