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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  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. fork — to eat with
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. toast — bread
  4. pop — music
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. stock — shares
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — goods
  10. pop — soda
  11. branch — a division
  12. key — the most important part
  13. fork — in a road
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. current — electric
  16. vault — a safe
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. current — of water
  19. pop — to visit
  20. current — happening now
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. key — in music
  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