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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. spring — the season
  8. dip — to sink
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bank — for money
  11. stock — shares
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. fork — in a road
  15. spring — a coil
  16. key — the most important part
  17. bank — for money
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. spring — of water
  20. bank — of a river
  21. stock — goods
  22. key — for a lock
  23. ball — a dance
  24. stock — a soup base

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