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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: sharp · firm · row · spring · rock · court · mouse · stock

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. spring — a coil
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. stock — shares
  6. sharp — clever
  7. court — for sport
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rock — a stone
  10. row — to paddle
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. firm — steady
  14. court — of a king
  15. spring — of water
  16. rock — music
  17. stock — goods
  18. court — of law
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — a company
  24. row — a line

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