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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. saw — the tool
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. stock — goods
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. stock — shares
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. saw — the tool
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. tube — a container
  21. key — for a lock
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. fan — to cool the air

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