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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. spring — the season
  3. bass — the fish
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fine — high quality
  6. stock — shares
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. firm — decided
  9. suit — clothes
  10. firm — steady
  11. fine — all right
  12. wake — a trail
  13. spring — of water
  14. suit — in cards
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. stock — goods
  17. staff — employees
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. bass — low music
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. suit — to fit
  22. firm — a company
  23. staff — a stick
  24. spring — a coil

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