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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rest — what's left
  3. fine — high quality
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. stock — goods
  7. pit — a hole
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. fine — all right
  12. band — a ring
  13. stock — shares
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — in music
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. band — a music group
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. pit — in a race
  24. rest — what's left

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