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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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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bear — the animal
  3. firm — decided
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. chair — a leader
  6. stock — goods
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. suit — clothes
  9. firm — a company
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. stock — shares
  12. bear — the animal
  13. firm — steady
  14. can — a tin
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. can — a tin
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. suit — to fit
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. key — in music
  23. can — to be able to
  24. suit — in cards

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