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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mug — to rob
  4. last — final
  5. key — for a lock
  6. fall — to drop
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. shower — rain
  9. fall — the season
  10. last — to go on
  11. key — in music
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fall — to drop
  14. stock — goods
  15. bore — to drill
  16. stand — to bear
  17. mug — a face
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. shower — to wash
  20. stock — shares
  21. last — finally
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bore — to tire

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