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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. stock — shares
  5. rush — hurry
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. ball — a dance
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cue — a signal
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — a country
  16. stock — goods
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. land — ground
  19. ball — a great time
  20. cue — for pool
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — a company
  24. rush — a thrill

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