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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. firm — decided
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bank — for money
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. firm — steady
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. firm — a company
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. foot — a measure
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. stock — shares
  22. bat — the animal
  23. stock — goods
  24. bank — for money

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