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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 120 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. ball — a great time
  3. firm — decided
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. firm — steady
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. stand — to bear
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. ball — a dance
  12. stock — goods
  13. firm — a company
  14. stock — shares
  15. bulb — for light
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. sharp — clever
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. stand — for spectators

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