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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. game — a match
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. firm — decided
  6. saw — the tool
  7. fall — to drop
  8. stock — goods
  9. fall — to drop
  10. rock — a stone
  11. fall — the season
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. rock — music
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. firm — a company
  17. stock — shares
  18. foot — a measure
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. saw — the tool
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. game — wild animals
  24. firm — steady

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