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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. game — a match
  3. firm — steady
  4. suit — in cards
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. suit — clothes
  8. stem — to come from
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. suit — to fit
  14. pound — a weight
  15. firm — decided
  16. stock — goods
  17. stock — shares
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. firm — a company
  20. degree — an amount
  21. degree — temperature
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. degree — from a university
  24. stem — of a plant

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