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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 116 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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. pound — a weight
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. stock — shares
  6. suit — clothes
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. suit — to fit
  9. mate — to breed
  10. firm — decided
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. suit — in cards
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. mate — a partner
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. firm — a company
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. sharp — clever
  21. firm — steady
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. stock — goods
  24. mate — a friend

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