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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. field — a subject
  3. stock — shares
  4. firm — steady
  5. stock — goods
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. spell — letters
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. chair — a leader
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. spell — magic
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — a break
  18. field — for sport
  19. firm — decided
  20. spell — a short time
  21. field — farmland
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. chair — a professorship

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