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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. march — the month
  3. stock — shares
  4. march — music
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. firm — decided
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. bear — the animal
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. degree — from a university
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. march — the month
  16. deal — to handle
  17. stock — goods
  18. degree — an amount
  19. firm — a company
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. degree — temperature
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. firm — steady

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