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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. lean — thin
  3. face — to confront
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. content — happy
  7. content — the amount
  8. lean — to bend
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. firm — a company
  11. face — part of the head
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. stock — goods
  16. bass — low music
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. stock — shares
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. firm — steady
  23. bulb — for light
  24. face — to point toward

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