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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. suit — to fit
  3. stock — goods
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. deal — to handle
  6. current — of water
  7. last — finally
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. last — to go on
  11. current — happening now
  12. key — the most important part
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — in cards
  15. key — in music
  16. stock — shares
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. current — electric
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bore — to drill
  21. last — final
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. bore — to tire

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