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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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468
Word bank
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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. drill — army training
  3. key — for a lock
  4. last — to go on
  5. fine — high quality
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. drill — a practice
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. key — the most important part
  10. last — finally
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. stock — shares
  13. press — a publisher
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. stock — goods
  16. lie — to recline
  17. last — final
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. fine — all right
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. press — to push
  22. press — newspapers
  23. key — in music
  24. drill — the tool

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