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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. wound — an injury
  3. scale — in music
  4. firm — steady
  5. spell — a short time
  6. pit — in a race
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pit — a hole
  9. wound — an injury
  10. firm — decided
  11. key — in music
  12. spell — letters
  13. scale — size or range
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. firm — a company
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. stock — goods
  19. key — the most important part
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. stock — shares
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. key — for a lock
  24. spell — magic

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