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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. key — the most important part
  4. stock — goods
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. season — of the year
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. object — a thing
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. pound — a weight
  13. key — for a lock
  14. object — an aim
  15. key — in music
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. stock — shares
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. object — to protest
  23. plane — a tool
  24. season — in sport

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