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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. firm — a company
  3. lean — to bend
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. stock — goods
  9. stock — shares
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. branch — a division
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. lean — thin
  16. firm — decided
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. mate — a friend
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. mate — a partner
  24. wax — for sculpting

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