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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. march — the month
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. staff — employees
  6. march — music
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. key — for a lock
  9. mate — a friend
  10. stock — goods
  11. mate — a partner
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. key — the most important part
  14. staff — employees
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. date — the fruit
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. march — the month
  22. staff — a stick
  23. stock — shares
  24. mate — to breed

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