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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 120 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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Word bank
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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. face — part of the head
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. season — of the year
  6. pit — in a race
  7. stock — goods
  8. key — the most important part
  9. face — to point toward
  10. key — in music
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. stock — shares
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. season — in sport
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. chair — a leader
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. pit — a hole
  22. face — to confront
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. temple — a place of worship

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