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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. last — to go on
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — a company
  6. spring — a coil
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. spring — the season
  9. stock — goods
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a signal
  12. last — finally
  13. spring — of water
  14. last — final
  15. pitch — completely
  16. suit — in cards
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. cue — a hint
  20. stock — shares
  21. firm — decided
  22. suit — to fit
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. stock — a soup base

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