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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  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. staff — a stick
  2. stock — goods
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. band — a music group
  6. staff — employees
  7. key — for a lock
  8. staff — employees
  9. pitch — completely
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. key — in music
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rush — hurry
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. stock — shares
  17. band — a ring
  18. lie — to recline
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  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