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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  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. fine — a penalty
  2. snap — to click
  3. fine — high quality
  4. pop — music
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. foot — a measure
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. pop — to visit
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. stock — goods
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. pop — soda
  20. fine — all right
  21. firm — a company
  22. stock — shares
  23. firm — decided
  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