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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 got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. rest — what's left
  3. stock — shares
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rest — a break
  9. firm — steady
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. band — a ring
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. firm — a company
  15. rush — hurry
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. band — a music group
  20. mark — a trace
  21. firm — decided
  22. rest — what's left
  23. stock — goods
  24. rush — to hurry

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