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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  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. stock — goods
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. firm — steady
  5. snap — to click
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. foot — a measure
  8. swing — to play on
  9. ground — the earth
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. ground — a position
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. swing — in golf
  14. bear — the animal
  15. deal — to handle
  16. swing — music
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stock — shares
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. ground — crushed
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. firm — decided
  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