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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — certain
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. deal — to handle
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. band — a ring
  8. kick — in football
  9. stock — goods
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. stock — shares
  13. band — a music group
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. firm — a company
  17. bound — tied together
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. firm — steady
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rock — music
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. coach — a trainer

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