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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. suit — in cards
  5. row — a line
  6. mate — a friend
  7. firm — a company
  8. mate — a partner
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. mate — to breed
  11. stock — goods
  12. suit — clothes
  13. fine — high quality
  14. firm — steady
  15. row — to paddle
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. suit — to fit
  20. stock — shares
  21. branch — a division
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. branch — of a bank

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