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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. key — in music
  3. file — a document
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. tube — a container
  6. stock — goods
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. tube — the underground
  9. staff — a stick
  10. pit — in a race
  11. saw — the tool
  12. stock — shares
  13. pit — a hole
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. file — a tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. file — a line of people
  19. staff — employees
  20. key — for a lock
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. toast — bread
  23. key — the most important part
  24. staff — employees

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