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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 116 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. mate — a friend
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. stock — goods
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. firm — decided
  10. object — a thing
  11. firm — steady
  12. mate — a partner
  13. sharp — clever
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. object — to protest
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. kick — in football
  20. object — an aim
  21. stock — shares
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. mate — to breed

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