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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. mark — a trace
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. prune — to trim
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. firm — steady
  8. prune — to trim
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — goods
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mark — a grade
  15. firm — decided
  16. wake — a trail
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. kick — in football
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. racket — for tennis

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