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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. track — a song
  6. stock — shares
  7. track — to keep track
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. track — a path
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. field — a subject
  12. object — a thing
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. key — for a lock
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. key — the most important part
  17. field — for sport
  18. object — to protest
  19. field — farmland
  20. key — in music
  21. suit — in cards
  22. stock — goods
  23. kick — in football
  24. object — an aim

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