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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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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: dip · bay · cabinet · stock · spring · net · bore · key

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. net — after costs
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. stock — goods
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. net — for catching
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. spring — a coil
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. stock — shares
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — in music
  18. bore — to drill
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. net — in sport
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. spring — the season
  24. spring — of water

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