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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. key — for a lock
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. stock — shares
  7. key — the most important part
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. lean — thin
  10. suit — in cards
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. stock — goods
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. suit — to fit
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. foot — a measure
  21. key — in music
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bark — to shout
  24. lean — to bend

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