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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stock — shares
  3. wound — an injury
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a trace
  8. stock — goods
  9. ground — the earth
  10. mark — a grade
  11. key — the most important part
  12. ground — a position
  13. object — an aim
  14. key — for a lock
  15. object — a thing
  16. ground — crushed
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. object — to protest
  19. wound — an injury
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — to trim
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. key — in music

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