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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. clip — a video
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. stock — shares
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. key — for a lock
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. clip — for paper
  10. suit — in cards
  11. stock — goods
  12. firm — a company
  13. hand — in cards
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — in music
  16. stand — to bear
  17. clip — to cut
  18. suit — clothes
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. suit — to fit
  22. firm — steady
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. firm — decided

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