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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: foot · rush · sharp · march · stock · key · can · tube

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. can — a tin
  5. stock — goods
  6. key — the most important part
  7. rush — hurry
  8. can — to be able to
  9. key — for a lock
  10. stock — shares
  11. key — in music
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. tube — a container
  14. march — music
  15. sharp — clever
  16. march — the month
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. can — a tin
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. march — the month
  23. foot — a measure
  24. tube — the underground

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