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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. stock — goods
  3. mark — a trace
  4. firm — decided
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. roll — a cake
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. squash — to crush
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. firm — a company
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. roll — a list
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. wake — a trail
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. firm — steady
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. stock — shares
  23. mark — a grade
  24. fan — a supporter

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