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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: chair · bay · key · lie · leaves · stock · cue · ground

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. ground — a position
  3. key — in music
  4. stock — goods
  5. key — the most important part
  6. cue — for pool
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. ground — crushed
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. lie — to recline
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. cue — a signal
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. ground — the earth
  20. chair — a leader
  21. cue — a hint
  22. stock — shares
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. leaves — lets stay

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