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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 120 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 had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. stock — goods
  3. court — for sport
  4. firm — steady
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. row — to paddle
  10. firm — decided
  11. court — of a king
  12. kick — in football
  13. court — of law
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stock — shares
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. cue — a hint
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. cue — a signal
  21. row — a line
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. firm — a company
  24. cue — for pool

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