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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  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. firm — a company
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. stock — shares
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. spring — the season
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ground — a position
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. ground — the earth
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. firm — steady
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. spring — of water
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. spring — a coil
  22. firm — decided
  23. stock — a soup base
  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