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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. firm — steady
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. object — a thing
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. ground — crushed
  7. object — an aim
  8. stock — shares
  9. drill — army training
  10. firm — a company
  11. wake — a trail
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. chest — a box
  14. ground — a position
  15. stock — goods
  16. chest — of your body
  17. firm — decided
  18. drill — a practice
  19. chest — of your body
  20. drill — the tool
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. object — to protest
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. stock — a soup base

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