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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 116 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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. key — the most important part
  3. ground — a position
  4. bulb — for light
  5. ground — the earth
  6. craft — a skill
  7. present — a gift
  8. ground — crushed
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — goods
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — electricity
  15. shower — rain
  16. craft — boats
  17. shower — to wash
  18. present — the time now
  19. charge — a price
  20. key — in music
  21. stock — shares
  22. bulb — for light
  23. key — for a lock
  24. present — there

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