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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. spring — the season
  3. firm — decided
  4. spring — of water
  5. row — a line
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. spring — a coil
  10. kick — in football
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. stock — goods
  13. board — to get on
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. firm — steady
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. stock — shares
  22. board — a committee
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. row — to paddle

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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