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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. key — for a lock
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. scale — size or range
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bulb — for light
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. key — the most important part
  14. scale — in music
  15. rock — music
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bulb — for light
  19. snap — to click
  20. stock — shares
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rest — what's left
  23. stock — goods
  24. key — in music

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