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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. stock — shares
  5. ground — the earth
  6. ground — a position
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. firm — decided
  9. file — a line of people
  10. file — a tool
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bear — the animal
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bass — low music
  17. file — a document
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. ground — crushed
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — a company
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bear — the animal

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