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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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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. season — of the year
  3. rule — government
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. firm — steady
  7. stock — shares
  8. firm — a company
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. key — in music
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. bass — the fish
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — low music
  18. stock — goods
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. season — in sport
  21. rule — a law
  22. key — for a lock
  23. pass — a permit
  24. firm — decided

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