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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 116 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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. key — the most important part
  3. drill — the tool
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. stock — goods
  8. object — a thing
  9. drill — a practice
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. drill — army training
  13. key — in music
  14. pitch — completely
  15. object — an aim
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. object — to protest
  20. kick — in football
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. key — for a lock

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