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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. wake — a trail
  3. pound — a weight
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. firm — steady
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. board — a committee
  10. stock — goods
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. board — to get on
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — a hole
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. cue — for pool
  17. firm — decided
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pit — in a race
  20. stock — shares
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — a hint
  24. pitcher — a jug

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