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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. pit — a hole
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. firm — a company
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. wound — an injury
  12. stock — goods
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. rush — hurry
  16. stock — shares
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. firm — steady
  20. pit — in a race
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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