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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. stock — shares
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. tube — a container
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — a tool
  8. stock — goods
  9. pitch — completely
  10. bore — to tire
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. tube — the underground
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — a company
  15. bore — to drill
  16. chest — a box
  17. fine — high quality
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. chest — of your body
  20. chest — of your body
  21. fine — all right
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitch — a sports field

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