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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stock · wake · key · object · lie · safe · charge · row

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. object — to protest
  5. row — a line
  6. row — to paddle
  7. key — for a lock
  8. stock — shares
  9. charge — a price
  10. key — the most important part
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — electricity
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. object — a thing
  16. stock — goods
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. lie — to recline
  24. object — an aim

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