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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. stock — shares
  3. key — the most important part
  4. last — final
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — goods
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. last — finally
  9. tube — a container
  10. suit — to fit
  11. rock — a stone
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. march — the month
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. tube — the underground
  18. rock — music
  19. march — music
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. key — in music
  22. last — to go on
  23. march — the month
  24. key — for a lock

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