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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — music
  3. object — an aim
  4. stock — shares
  5. deal — to handle
  6. pop — to visit
  7. key — for a lock
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. rash — a series
  13. stock — goods
  14. object — to protest
  15. march — the month
  16. object — a thing
  17. pop — music
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rash — hasty
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — in music
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pop — soda

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