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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. saw — the tool
  4. firm — steady
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. saw — the tool
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stock — goods
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. chair — a leader
  14. snap — to click
  15. firm — a company
  16. bulb — for light
  17. stock — shares
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. scale — size or range
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. scale — in music
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. chair — to sit on

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