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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: racket · scale · hide · toast · stock · wake · last · key

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. wake — a trail
  4. stock — shares
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. stock — goods
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. last — final
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. scale — in music
  14. last — finally
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. scale — size or range
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. last — to go on
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. key — the most important part
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — in music
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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