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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — soda
  4. key — in music
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stock — goods
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. stock — shares
  11. court — for sport
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. court — of law
  14. track — a song
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — for a lock
  17. track — to keep track
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. pop — to visit
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. foot — a measure
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. rush — hurry
  24. court — of a king

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