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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. cell — a phone
  3. stock — shares
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. object — to protest
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. mate — a partner
  9. firm — steady
  10. object — an aim
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mate — a friend
  15. stock — goods
  16. object — a thing
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. mate — to breed
  20. rock — music
  21. firm — a company
  22. rock — a stone
  23. firm — decided
  24. cell — in biology

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