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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. firm — a company
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — a face
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. object — a thing
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. firm — steady
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. stock — shares
  12. firm — decided
  13. object — an aim
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. object — to protest
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. craft — a skill
  19. stock — goods
  20. capital — money
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. capital — a city
  23. craft — boats
  24. mug — to rob

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