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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 116 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. stock — goods
  3. firm — steady
  4. rock — a stone
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. firm — decided
  7. pitch — completely
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. ground — a position
  10. ground — the earth
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. rock — music
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bulb — for light
  17. sharp — clever
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bulb — for light
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ground — crushed
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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