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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stock — shares
  6. chip — for betting
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. firm — a company
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. stand — to bear
  20. firm — decided
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stock — goods
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. chip — to eat

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