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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. race — the arms race
  6. fork — in a road
  7. stock — shares
  8. track — a path
  9. track — to keep track
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. dip — to sink
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — goods
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — in music
  17. race — a contest
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. race — humankind
  20. track — a song
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. key — the most important part

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