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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. stock — shares
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. wake — a trail
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. season — of the year
  9. firm — a company
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. firm — steady
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. row — to paddle
  19. season — in sport
  20. stock — goods
  21. lie — to recline
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. firm — decided
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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