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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 124 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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. suit — in cards
  3. club — for dancing
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. suit — to fit
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stock — goods
  9. firm — decided
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. suit — clothes
  12. foot — a measure
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rash — a series
  17. stock — shares
  18. club — for golf
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. rash — hasty
  21. bear — the animal
  22. club — a group
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. firm — a company

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