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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: lean · foot · saw · charge · land · stock · key · toast

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. key — in music
  4. saw — the tool
  5. lean — thin
  6. key — the most important part
  7. foot — a measure
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. charge — electricity
  10. toast — bread
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. stock — goods
  19. land — a country
  20. land — ground
  21. saw — the tool
  22. land — to come down
  23. stock — shares
  24. key — for a lock

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