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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  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. stock — shares
  2. key — the most important part
  3. dip — to sink
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. mark — a trace
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. tube — a container
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. stock — goods
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. tube — the underground
  19. key — for a lock
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  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