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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 116 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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  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. swing — to play on
  2. dip — to sink
  3. firm — steady
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. present — a gift
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — decided
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. shower — rain
  12. swing — music
  13. stock — shares
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. shower — to wash
  17. present — the time now
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. fine — all right
  21. swing — in golf
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. present — there
  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