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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. track — a song
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. firm — a company
  5. firm — steady
  6. spring — the season
  7. spring — of water
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. firm — decided
  10. suit — clothes
  11. stock — shares
  12. swing — in golf
  13. spring — a coil
  14. track — a path
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — to fit
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. swing — music
  22. track — to keep track
  23. wake — a trail
  24. stock — goods

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