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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. stock — goods
  3. firm — steady
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. squash — the sport
  7. can — a tin
  8. toast — bread
  9. ball — a dance
  10. can — to be able to
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. can — a tin
  14. squash — to crush
  15. saw — the tool
  16. dip — to sink
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. ball — a great time
  20. stock — shares
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. firm — decided

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