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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. key — the most important part
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. key — in music
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. key — for a lock
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stock — shares
  18. prune — to trim
  19. chair — a leader
  20. fall — the season
  21. prune — to trim
  22. sharp — clever
  23. fall — to drop
  24. stock — goods

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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