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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. key — for a lock
  4. band — a ring
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — clothes
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — to sink
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — shares
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. key — the most important part
  15. pop — soda
  16. suit — to fit
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. pop — to visit
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. pop — music
  21. stock — goods
  22. wake — a trail
  23. band — a music group
  24. dip — a sauce

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