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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. squash — to crush
  4. squash — the sport
  5. club — for dancing
  6. stock — shares
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. club — for golf
  9. pit — in a race
  10. row — to paddle
  11. row — a line
  12. snap — to click
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. track — a path
  15. key — the most important part
  16. stock — goods
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. club — a group
  19. key — for a lock
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. track — to keep track
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. track — a song

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