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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stock — shares
  4. kick — in football
  5. wound — an injury
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. firm — decided
  8. wound — an injury
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. firm — a company
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. mark — a trace
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. stock — goods
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. scale — size or range
  21. firm — steady
  22. scale — in music
  23. mark — a grade
  24. dip — to sink

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