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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. stock — shares
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — after costs
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. key — the most important part
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. foot — a measure
  12. spell — letters
  13. stock — goods
  14. spell — magic
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. key — in music
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. mine — for digging
  20. plane — a tool
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. key — for a lock
  23. net — in sport
  24. mine — belonging to me

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