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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. stock — shares
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. key — for a lock
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. stock — goods
  8. plane — a tool
  9. cold — an illness
  10. key — the most important part
  11. cold — not warm
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. key — in music
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. board — a committee
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. board — to get on
  18. foot — a measure
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. toast — bread
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. board — a flat piece

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