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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.

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: ground · temple · stock · mouse · pit · leaves · chair · key

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. ground — a position
  4. ground — crushed
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. chair — a leader
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. pit — a hole
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stock — goods
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — in music
  22. pit — in a race
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. ground — the earth

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