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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. rock — a stone
  3. band — a ring
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. rock — music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — for a lock
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. root — the cause
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. band — a music group
  14. club — a group
  15. stock — shares
  16. key — in music
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. root — of a plant
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. club — for golf
  23. root — of a word
  24. stock — goods

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