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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. firm — a company
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — a break
  6. swing — in golf
  7. land — a country
  8. cap — a hat
  9. land — to come down
  10. swing — to play on
  11. rest — what's left
  12. swing — music
  13. firm — decided
  14. cap — a lid
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. fine — all right
  17. saw — the tool
  18. land — ground
  19. firm — steady
  20. cap — of ice
  21. fine — high quality
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — goods

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