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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 120 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 put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. firm — decided
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. firm — steady
  6. pound — a weight
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. suit — in cards
  9. fine — all right
  10. firm — a company
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. chair — a leader
  14. suit — clothes
  15. stock — goods
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. suit — to fit
  20. stock — shares
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. fine — high quality

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