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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. object — to protest
  3. march — the month
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. march — music
  6. stock — goods
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. object — a thing
  9. key — for a lock
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. key — in music
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. object — an aim
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. capital — a city
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. key — the most important part
  19. lie — to recline
  20. capital — money
  21. chair — a leader
  22. dip — to sink
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. stock — shares

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