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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. wound — an injury
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. club — a group
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. firm — decided
  10. rest — what's left
  11. stock — goods
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. firm — a company
  15. rest — what's left
  16. stock — shares
  17. club — for golf
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. club — for dancing
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. firm — steady
  23. kick — in football
  24. safe — a strongbox

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