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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. key — for a lock
  3. stock — goods
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. key — in music
  10. pitch — completely
  11. face — to point toward
  12. fork — in a road
  13. face — to confront
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. stock — shares
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. stem — to come from
  21. face — part of the head
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. key — the most important part

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