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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. key — the most important part
  3. present — a gift
  4. stock — goods
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — a thing
  7. fork — in a road
  8. lie — to recline
  9. object — to protest
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. present — there
  12. key — in music
  13. present — the time now
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stock — shares
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. key — for a lock
  22. can — a tin
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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