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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. fine — all right
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. file — a tool
  5. firm — decided
  6. fine — high quality
  7. spring — the season
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. file — a line of people
  11. firm — a company
  12. stock — goods
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — a trace
  15. file — a document
  16. stock — shares
  17. spring — a coil
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. spring — of water
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. rush — hurry

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