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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 120 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — a stone
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. chest — of your body
  6. object — a thing
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. firm — a company
  9. mate — a friend
  10. object — to protest
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stock — goods
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — steady
  15. rock — music
  16. chest — of your body
  17. squash — the sport
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a partner
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. chest — a box
  24. squash — to crush

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