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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. firm — a company
  3. object — an aim
  4. rock — a stone
  5. pitch — completely
  6. track — to keep track
  7. firm — decided
  8. land — to come down
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — shares
  12. rock — music
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. stock — goods
  15. track — a song
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. firm — steady
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. land — a country
  22. track — a path
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — a thing

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