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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. bear — the animal
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. firm — decided
  6. spell — letters
  7. stock — goods
  8. bear — the animal
  9. wake — a trail
  10. spell — a short time
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. firm — steady
  13. season — of the year
  14. firm — a company
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. spell — magic
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. mine — for digging
  24. stock — shares

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